The Lost Marauder
by Craze666
Summary: We all know the story of Moony Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs...But what if there was another? What if another Werewolf went to Hogwarts with the Marauders, and what if she was their friend?
1. Prologue

AN: Yeah, this is a rewrite. I wasn't happy with how the story was going, so I decided to scrap it and rework a few pieces. I'm hoping to have this completed fairly soon, assuming that I don't lose my inspiration again, and then "Inferi Infection" is going to be made the sequel, since I completely buggered the plot on that as well.

The Lost Marauder. 

By Craze.

Prologue

She was sitting up in her room, and her parents were downstairs. She hadn't bothered to come down when the man with the long white beard came over. Professor Dumbledore, her mum had called him. It didn't matter. He'd only come to tell her parents what all the other headmasters had told them. She couldn't go to his school. She was too dangerous. She rolled her eyes to herself.

They didn't know the half of it.

Aurora "Rory" Knight hadn't had much of a childhood. She had been bitten by a werewolf when she was only a year old. They had moved shortly thereafter, but word got out, as word does in situations like this. No other kids wanted to play with her. No parents would let them, of course. So she had a lot of time to herself. She used that time as best she could. She wanted control. So she used all the time of her lost childhood getting it. She would show them she wasn't the monster they all accused her of being.

For hours, she'd sit, she'd meditate, she'd concentrate, and eventually, after years and years of painstaking practice and work, she got it. She was no longer an animal, with no consciousness of what she was doing. Wolf she was during the full moon, but it was in body only. Her mind was still her own. As time went on, even her non wolf days found her with some wolfish characteristics. Her senses were more acute than a regular person's, for one. She was stronger, and faster, she began to see that she was the wolf all the time, rather than only once a month. The acceptance of that fact helped her keep her sanity, helped her keep her humanity.

Of course, that made the headmaster's even more reluctant to have her at their schools. Apparently, her unprecedented level of control made her more dangerous than otherwise. Go Figure.

From downstairs, she heard her mother talking. Growling softly to herself in frustration, she swung her legs off her bed and sat up. Her parents, of course, knew about her hearing, so were obviously troubling to keep their voices as low as possible. She stood up, walking over to the mirror and stared at her reflection. Jet black hair tumbled messily over silver eyes, cascading down her back. She chewed thoughtfully at a full lower lip. Her jeans and t-shirt were a little wrinkled. Her clothes always seemed wrinkled.

There was a knock at her door.

Her father walked in. "Rory, come downstairs for a moment, please. We have something to tell you."

Rayne stopped herself from sighing and rolling her eyes with great difficulty. _Why bother telling me that he said no, that I'm too dangerous?_ She thought to herself. _I already know that, I don't think I need to hear it every single time. _Still she turned and followed her father down the stairs and into the living room, where she sat down on the chair. The headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, was smiling at her, his eyes twinkling in a rather annoying manner that put Rory instantly on her guard. _What do you have to be smiling about?_ She thought ruefully.

"Well, Ms Knight, I'm sure that you're wondering why I've asked to speak with you. I'm sure that you think that you will not be permitted to attend Hogwarts because of your affliction, correct?" The professor sat there, still smiling, as Rayne nodded curtly, choosing to keep her pointed and sarcastic retort to herself.

"Well, what if I told you that you were wrong?"


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

New Beginnings.

Rory stood on Platform 9 ¾ staring up at the train. She was nervous. She didn't think she'd be this nervous. She looked around at all the other kids waiting to board the train, and hugged her floor-length leather jacket tighter around her body, shivering with nerves in spite of herself.

A little ways away was a boy with scars all over his face staring at her, his eyes wide. _That must be him,_ she thought to herself, _the other werewolf that Professor Dumbledore told me about. I wonder if he can control it like I can._ She knew by looking at him that he was aware of what she was as she was of him. Rory smiled at him, a shy, nervous smile, but the boy looked away. She sighed to herself and allowed her mother and father to fuss over her and kiss her goodbye before boarding the train and finding an empty compartment. She stowed her trunk away and curled up on the seat, against the window. She wondered if the other boy would avoid her. She hoped not. Aurora hadn't realized until that moment how much she longed for friends. A friend who could at least partly understand what she was going through would be wonderful.

The train lurched out of the station, and the boy looked in the compartment, looking scared. "Every where's full", he said, "Can I sit here?" Rory had barely nodded when three more boys came in and asked the same thing. Nervously, she nodded and sat back to just watch. Having never had friends, she was unsure how people her own age were supposed to act, so she contented herself with just watching them for a while.

They seemed nice enough. They were rambunctious, rowdy, but amusing. She found herself laughing at their jokes, and was soon talking with them like she'd known them for years. She was utterly amazed at how comfortable she could be with them.

Except the werewolf, Remus Lupin was his name, and he seemed unwilling to catch her eye, which confused her. She didn't know why he wouldn't want to know someone who was going through the same things he was. Sort of, anyway. As they all changed into their school uniforms, Rory kept trying to catch Remus' eye, but to no avail. Eventually she gave up, and listened with amusement as two of the other boys, James Potter and Sirius Black, bantered back and forth about the Sorting and the Houses. She heard them talking about Slytherin and Gryffindor and hoping they'd be in the latter, even Sirius, whose entire family had been Slytherins.

Rory bit her lip worriedly. She liked these boys, and got along with them very well, even the shy Remus and the nervous portly boy, Peter Pettigrew. From what she could hear James and Sirius saying, if she was Sorted into Slytherin, her chance at developing these budding friendships, the first ones in her whole memory, would be over before it even began.

After riding in the boats, across the Black Lake, Rory, Remus, James, Sirius and Peter climbed the steps into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the first time, as nervous as their classmates, and as unsure of what awaited them. At the top of the stairs, was a stern-looking Witch in black robes and a pointed hat. "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Professor McGonagall. In a few moments time, I will lead you all into the Great hall to be Sorted into your Houses. Your Houses are like your family, while at school. Achievements will earn your House points, while rule pointing will deduct point. The House with the highest point count at the Leaving Feast will win the House Cup. Wait here until we are ready for you". As soon as the McGonagall vanished behind the door, renewed whisperings broke out. Sirius and James were involved in another discussion about whether or not Sirius would be Sorted into Slytherin, and Peter was listening to them intently.

Rory saw her moment and took it. Laying a hand on Remus arm she whispered, careful to make herself not overheard, _"Why are you so afraid of me?" _She heard the hint of hurt in her voice, and hated herself for it, even as she couldn't stop it. She had spent years masking the hurt felt when other children avoided her, feigning a nonchalant expression, and to hear the pain in her own voice caused her an irrational irritation with herself.

"_I'm not afraid of you_." Remus whispered back, after nervously casting his eyes abut to make sure they weren't being overheard. "_I've never been around another….you know, and I heard you can control it, so I don't know how to act!"_ At this, Rory had to admit she was surprised, but before she had a chance to talk further, Professor McGonagall reappeared.

"We're ready for you now."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Sorting.

Rory walked into the Great Hall with all the other nervous First Years. With wide eyes, she looked around the spacious room, barely able to take it all in. It really hit her, for the first time, at that moment, as she laid her eyes on the ancient, battered Sorting Hat. She was there. She was at school. She might even have friends, if the Sorting went well. So lost in her thoughts and daydreaming was she that she missed the song sung by the Hat, her only indication that it has sung at all was the clapping done by the students already seated. Quickly she retrained her attention and held her breath as McGonagall spoke.

"When I call your name, come and sit on the stool. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, and it will Sort you into your House."

The First Years nervously twitched, and Rory exchanged a scared look with Remus, who seemed to be more willing to catch her eye now, thankfully.

"Black, Sirius"

Sirius jumped slightly next to her as his name was called. By his expression he hadn't expected to go first. He walked up to the stool and sat down, looking a little paler than he had moments ago. Back in the crowd, Rory stood with her friends, as nervous as the pale boy sitting on the stool. After what seemed like forever, but was in reality only a minute or so, the Sorting Hat shouted "Gryffindor!" and Rory saw Sirius nearly fall off the stool in relief as he walked and sat at the table. Biting her lip, she looked around, her own nervousness returning as the list dwindled slowly, and before she knew it, her name was being called.

"Knight, Rory"

On legs that shook only slightly, Rory made her way up to the Sorting Hat. She sat down, and the battered Hat was placed on her hair. "_Well, well, well…what have we here?_" She heard the hat whisper inside her head, and she jumped slightly. "_I've never seen one of you before. This is very interesting, very interesting indeed… There's vast intelligence, yes, loyalty indeed…I see much bravery in you, cunning, and ambition. Yes, I know just where you'll go…_" Just when Rory felt she would explode with anticipation and scream at the hat to just tell her already, it shouted, for the whole Hall to hear, "GRYFFINDOR!!", and she practically fell off the stool, beaming and sat down next to Sirius, who looked just as thrilled for her to be there as she was. Together, they sat and watched as Remus was Sorted in Gryffindor as well, and then Peter, who the Sorting hat took a very long time with, and then, finally, James. After this, they stopped paying much attention, instead watching James and Sirius pull faces at each other from across the table, and trying not to giggle too loudly. After the final students had been Sorted, Dumbledore stood, and without offering any words, simply spread his arms out, so that the plates in front of them filled with food, that damnable twinkle going full force in his eyes.

Rory hadn't realized how hungry she was until she saw all the food in front of her, and filled her plate eagerly. Almost as eagerly as Sirius, who ate as though he'd never seen food before in his life. This earned him an exasperated look from the boys, as well as a chuckle from Rory.

Later, after the speech giving, they made their way up to Gryffindor tower, following a prefect, and Rayne made her way to the girl's dormitory to bed. She smiles hesitantly at the other girls she shared a dorm with, a redhead named Lily Evans, and two brunettes, Mary MacDonald and Alice Spencer. They all smiled back, and they chattered idly about nothing as they climbed into bed. Rory, who had been certain that she would have lain awake all night, thinking about the events of the day, was asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow.

The month and a half of classes passed uneventfully. Rory and the Marauders, as they dubbed themselves, attended their classes, did their homework and were practically inseparable. Practically, because Rory still had to sleep in the girls' dormitory. The time passed quickly and one night, after watching James and Sirius mess around in the common room to blow off steam while she and Remus did homework, Rory finally went to bed. As she crawled beneath the covers, she glanced out the window and the moon, which was three-quarters of the way full and hung in the sky, bathing her bed in a silvery glow. With a barely concealed shudder, she realized it would be full moon tomorrow. The first full moon of the school year, at that. She fell asleep wondering how her and Remus would get away to the Shack Dumbledore had had built for their use without raising too many questions, or too much suspicion.

Rory woke with a slight jerk when it was still dark outside. It took her a second to remember where she was, and she knew she'd never be able to get back to sleep. She stretched, wrapped a black plushy dressing grown around her and walked down to the common room. On her way down the stairs, she checked her watch. It read midnight, on the dot. _How utterly wonderful_, Rory thought. _Oh well, at least tomorrow is Saturday, so I don't have to be up early for classes. _She stopped at the bottom of the stair, looking around, she wasn't alone. Remus was sitting in an armchair near the fire place. Rory stepped forward, clearing her throat so Remus would know that she was there. She felt a little bad when she saw him jump slightly, and smiled a bit at him. She was relieved that he smiled back; He'd been reserved with her since the Hogwarts Express. Friendly, yes, but reserved, even more so recently.

"Hey." She said.

"Hello", Remus replied.

"We haven't really had a chance to talk in private. What did you mean when you said you don't know how to act around me?" Rory had never been the type of person to beat around the bush, and it was the same here. She always spoke her mind, immediately. Even so, she was careful to keep her voice down, casting a searching eye towards the staircase leading to the boy's dormitory, knowing it wouldn't do for someone to overhear them talking. Especially about this.

"I mean, I can't control it. I never even knew it was possible. Now, I meet you, and know that it is, and I don't know why I never thought to control it myself. I guess I'm a little ashamed to say I never tried." Remus said all this in a rush, his voice as low as hers had been, as though it would be easier for him to say it quickly.

Rory sat with her eyes wide in surprise. She didn't know what she was expecting him to say, but it certainly wasn't that. Slowly, she approached the sofa next to him and curled up, biting her lip softly. When she spoke again, her voice was still soft, with a tinge of sadness in her tone that she found herself unwilling and unable to mask. After all, Remus was a wolf as well, he would understand.

"When I was bit, I was only about a year old, according to my parents. They seem to know something about who bit me and why, but they always say they'll tell me when I'm older. We moved shortly afterwards, but the Ministry sent out one of their damn leaflets, informing the area witches and wizards we had moved, and that I'm a werewolf. So obviously, none of the parents in the area wanted their kids to play with me. I spent a lot of time by myself. It was lonely, and I got bored. So I figured I'd try and see if I could control it. It took years. I finally got it when I was around 9, well...nearly 10. I can transform at will though, and my senses are heightened. This is the first time I've ever been around people my own age that didn't run at the sight of me."

Even though her life had been filled with loneliness up until very recently, she couldn't help but feel a surge of pride in her ability to control her affliction, which she had read was uncontrollable. When she glanced at Remus out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that he looked surprised. No doubt he had known that it was uncontrollable as well. Rory looked Remus full in the face, worry in her eyes. "Are you afraid they're going to find out?" She knew she didn't have to say who she meant.

"Terrified", Remus replied.

"Do you really think they'd turn their backs on us? That they'd simply ignore us, or worse, tell everyone else if they found out?" Rory asked. "I don't. They're going to realize something is going on. If it were just one of us, then we could pass it off as something else, but with both of us disappearing once a month, they're going to get suspicious, Remus"

Remus sighed, raising his eyes to the ceiling as he leaned back in the chair. "I know. I know." He paused for a minute, not answering her other questions, and they sat in a comfortable silence, both bathed in the light of the three-quarter full moon shining in through the window. After a while, Remus spoke again.

"Full moon's tomorrow night."

Rory nodded and said, "I know. I was thinking about that before I fell asleep."

Remus turned and looked into her eyes, his serious brown into her silvery gray that seemed to glow in the moonlight. When he asked his next question, it was crystal clear what he was referring to. He took a deep breath and took the plunge, even though the thought of it scared him.

"Will you teach me?"

Of course she said yes.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Full Moon

Rory and Remus sat up the rest of the night talking. Remus had a mountain of questions on how she was able to control being a werewolf, which she answered readily. When dawn broke over the horizon, they decided to go down and get breakfast early, before the rest of their friends woke up, so they could come up with a plan on how to get away without raising their suspicion, even if Rory still thought they should just tell them the truth.

"Well, we could pretend to get really mad at each other and fight." Rory suggested, "That way, we'd both have to be brought up to the Hospital Wing. We could tell Madam Pomfrey what we'd done, so that way if anyone came looking for us, she could head them off by saying we weren't allowed visitors, or something. She knows about us, and would likely be willing to cover for us, knowing how important it is."

Remus looked intrigued and thought it over a bit before saying, "But James and Sirius sneak out all the time, and they'd probably just try and find a way to sneak in. James has his Invisibility Cloak, you know. But I can't think of any other way. They're almost definitely going to try and sneak into see us though, and Madam Pomfrey can't watch everywhere at once. Any other ideas?"

Rory sat for a minute, eating her bacon quietly as she thought it over. After about ten minutes, she said, "Well, we'll have to go to McGonagall for this to work and make sure we have her okay, but how about if we 'act up' ", she marked quotations with her fingers, "in front of her office, and she'd have to give us detention. Or at least pretend to, anyway. James and Sirius would know better than to try and sneak _into _detention, especially with McGonagall, since they get enough of them on their own."

Remus smiled and nodded. "That's absolutely brilliant. We should go ask her now, when James, Sirius and Peter wake up, we'll never be able to get away to ask."

With that, the pair hurriedly finished their breakfast and ran up to McGonagall's office, where they knocked politely. The door was opened almost immediately and the Professor looked very surprised to see them there, given the still early hour.

"What can I help you with, Ms. Knight, Mr. Lupin?" She asked as she led them inside her office and directed them to chairs.

They had decided on the way up that Rory would do the talking, since it was her idea, and so she took a breath and began. "Well, Professor, the full moon is tonight, and Remus and I came up with an idea to help us get away without causing too much suspicion among our friends, but we need your help to make it work."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow slightly, but said, "Go on."

"Well, Professor, Remus and I were going to 'act up'", again, Rayne marked the words with her fingers, "in front of your office later on today, so that you would have to come out and give us 'detention'. We were going to maybe start fighting, or dueling or doing something else detention worthy. That way, we could get away under the pretense of having detention. But, you see, Professor, if we don't have your help, then we may really end up in detention for another night, and _still_ have to come up with a way to slip off tonight."

Professor McGonagall sat for a few moments, her eyebrows still raised. Finally, just when Rory was beginning to think she wasn't going to agree to help them, she smiled. "I never thought I'd see the day when I would encourage such behavior. But, I have to admit, it is a very good idea. Very well, I will help you. I'll also inform the rest of the staff of this plan of yours, so that if one of them happens to come across you before I do, your plan won't be ruined. Be in front of my office at 3 o'clock, then." With that, McGonagall stood and opened her office door for them. Understanding themselves to be dismissed, Remus and Rory walked out into the hallway.

"So, Remus, I came up with the main idea, now you have to find a way for us to pull it off convincingly." Rory said as they walked down stairs.

Remus nodded. "I know. I'll think of something. Would it be better not to tell you though, so it seems more convincing, and not over rehearsed?"

"Good idea." Rory could hear James and Sirius calling for them down the hallways. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Looks like they're awake. We should go before Filch finds them and gives _them_ detention." Rory laughed as they headed down the hallway towards their friends.

The next few hours passed quickly enough. Remus and Rory joined the rest of the Marauders for breakfast, even though they'd already eaten. After that, they walked outside around the grounds for a while, talking about nothing and goofing off. As 3 rolled around, Remus said he needed something from the library, which was near McGonagall's office, so they all shrugged and went with him.

As they reached the top of the top of the stairs, Remus tripped Rory, sending her sprawling hard onto the ground. She hit the floor with a thud, her landing had really hurt, and she yelped. As she stood, she completely forgot about the plan she and Remus had concocted and turned to face him, anger and hurt blazing in her eyes.

"What the hell did you do that for?" She shrieked. Remus just shrugged, smirking. James, Sirius and Peter all stopped, looking from on to the other, utterly confused.

Rory narrowed her eyes, the plan still pretty much forgotten and shoved Remus, hard. He hit the wall behind him with a thud that was nearly as loud as the one that sounded when Rory hit the floor. "You should watch where you're going, you jerk!"

Remus steadied himself and pulled out his wand, at the same moment Rory pulled out hers. At the same time, they sent Stinging Hexes at each other as McGonagall ripped open the door to her office, looking convincingly enraged.

"Both of you, in my office! Now!"

Sheepishly, Rory and Remus made their way into McGonagall's office. The sight of the Transfiguration teacher had reminded her of the plan. Before the Professor closed the door, they heard her say, "You boys better move along. Your friends are going to be here for a while. Go on now!" followed by the sound of the rest of them hurrying down the hallway, eager to avoid the Transfiguration Professor's wrath.

As McGonagall closed the door, Rory glared at Remus, rubbing her ribs gingerly. They really did hurt quite a lot. They felt bruised and tender to the touch. As she rubbed them, she found she had to fight tears from her eyes, they hurt that much. "Did you have to trip me so hard? That really hurt..."

Remus looked concerned and more than a little ashamed of himself. "Sorry. I didn't realize you'd fall that hard. Are you okay?"

Rory nodded. "I should be fine. I heal fast." She managed a small smile for her friend's sake before turning to McGonagall and trying not to burst out laughing at the exasperated expression on her face.

"You two… I have to admit, that was very convincing. You may go find your friends and tell them you will be doing lines in my office tonight. That should prevent them from coming and looking for you. You may go, and I'll meet you in the hospital wing at 7:30 tonight to escort you to the Whomping Willow."

With that, they the office. Remus went to walk down the stairs to the Great Hall, but Rory stopped him, saying "We were supposed to be going to the Library, remember?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot. They'll probably be waiting there for us"

Sure enough, the three remaining Marauders were waiting outside the Library. (What, you thought they'd be in there?)

"So, what happened? How much trouble are you guys in?" James asked as they approached.

"Detention." said Remus and Rory simultaneously.

"Tonight." said Remus.

"At 7:30." Finished Rory

"Blimey, what does she have you doing?" asked Sirius.

"Lines." said the two werewolves.

"Did she take points off Gryffindor too?" asked Peter.

"Nah, no points." said Rory "But I bet she's gonna keep us there all night doing lines. My hand'll probably fall off!" At that, they all started walking back to the common room, talking about how unfair it was. Sirius turned and looked at Remus as they hung back slightly from the group. "How come you tripped her, anyway? It looked like it really hurt." As he said this, they noticed Rory rub her ribs again and flinch slightly, trying to hide it from the rest of them. James raised his eyebrows but said nothing. Sirius looked concerned. Remus looked, and felt, ashamed of himself. He really hadn't meant to trip her that hard, and had felt really concerned when he heard how loud the thud was when she hit the ground. Peter didn't seem to notice anything.

Remus sighed "It was an accident; I wasn't watching where I was going."

Seven-thirty that night seemed to come around unusually fast. It seemed to Remus and Rory that they had just sat down before it was time for them to get up and go to 'detention'.

"Don't wait up." Rory said. Of course, the other three boys started to protest so she continued, "No, honestly, McGonagall will probably keep us really late, and you guys should get some sleep. It's not like we'll be awake enough to talk when we come in anyway." This, unfortunately, was most likely very true.

Nervously, the pair made their way to the Hospital Wing, constantly looking around to make sure they weren't followed. They made it to the Hospital Wing quickly enough. There was a tense moment where they were nearly spotted by Lily and her Slytherin friend, Severus Snape, but that was all.

Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey led them quickly and quietly down the stairs and out the front door. They walked across the darkening grounds towards the Whomping Willow and McGonagall showed them how to still the branches before showing them the tunnel leading to the Shack and telling them that she'd be back in the morning.

Remus and Rory made their way towards the Shack through the tunnel. They closed themselves up in a room and looked out the window. They had about ten minutes until the moon rose. They looked at each other, obviously both scared. Neither of them had been around another werewolf before, especially during the full moon. Rory sat on a chair and looked at Remus, trying to smile reassuringly. "Don't worry. I have control; I'll try and not let you hurt yourself that badly." Remus only nodded, he looked rather sick.

As the moon rose and its silvery light spilled into the room, they began to transform. Remus looked to be in excruciating pain, while Rory stretched her arms to the ceiling and relished the feeling of her boned crunching, her muscles stretching, her fangs growing. The transformation came very fluidly for her, and very roughly for Remus, a side effect of Rory's control. He screamed as though he were being tortured. When they were both fully transformed, they raised their heads and howled, long and loud. Remus turned, sniffing, clawing at the door, trying to get out, and then turning on himself when he couldn't. It made Rory's heart truly ache, and she leapt forward, trying to make him stop, and he turned on her instead. She yelped as he bit and scratched, but she knew he couldn't control himself, so she didn't try and fight back. Rory knew that with her control, she could seriously injure him, and she didn't want that. Instead she yelped and howled and wolf-screamed as he bit and clawed at her throughout the night. At least he wasn't hurting himself.

Meanwhile, back in the Gryffindor First Year boy's dormitory, James, Sirius, and Peter were sitting up and talking. They tried to keep their voices low, as Frank Longbottom, their dorm mate had already fallen asleep. They all jumped, startled, as screams and howls echoed into the room from outside. Before they could say anything about it, the door opened and Lily Evans poked her head inside, looking very worried and upset.

"Didn't Remus and Rory have detention with McGonagall tonight?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, they did, why?" James replied quickly; He was always keen to have a chance to talk to Lily, having liked her since she was Sorted into Gryffindor with them, even though she didn't seem to fond of him.

Lily bit her lip, looking very upset. "I was just there, walking by McGonagall's office, and they're not in there. McGonagall's sitting there grading homework, but Remus and Rory aren't anywhere. I was hoping you guys knew where they were." Her eyes travelled to the window, and they all understood she was worried because she had heard the howls and screams from outside.

James looked surprised, but quickly shrugged it off. He didn't want to upset Lily any further, since she always got on very well with Rory, and was obviously worried. "McGonagall must have decided to give them something other than lines, that's all, Lily. They're probably cleaning the trophy room, or doing some strange work for Filch." Even as he said it, he didn't believe it, especially after those screams. The screams, and howls, and yelps that were still echoing in through the window. The screams and yelps of someone, or something, in pain.

Lily nodded, seemingly relieved. "Yeah, you're probably right; I'm just being silly... I'll just see her tomorrow, then. Goodnight" She closed the door behind them.

James sat back on his bed and folded his arms. He was thinking hard, but before he could share what he thought with Sirius and Peter, he'd have to wait and see where his other two friends had indeed been that night.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The Aftermath

The dawn sunlight came streaming in thought the window. Remus opened his eyes and squinted, immediately noticing that he wasn't in the usual amount of pain that he was after a full moon. He looked around and a slow moan escaped his lips and he felt sickened with himself.

Rory was lying on the bed, bruised and bloodied. She looked like she had been mauled by an animal, and of course, he thought to himself, that's exactly what happened. He hated himself in that moment, for what he had done to his friend, to the only person who had ever understood what he was going through. He couldn't understand why she hadn't fought back, why she had let him hurt her this way. But he didn't have time to dwell on it, as the door opened and Madam Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore walked into the room.

Rory lay on the bed with her eyes closed. Her breathing was shallow and she felt that every single nerve and muscle was on fire. Remus had spent most of the long night clawing and biting at her. She had barely managed to crawl over to the bed as the sun rose and they both fell unconscious. Now as she struggled to stay awake, she heard Remus' moan of distress and knew that he had seen her. She wanted to open her mouth, to tell him that she didn't blame him; that she knew, better than anyone that he couldn't control himself, but all that came out was a low moan of pain. Before she could take in anything else, she head the door open. Madam Pomfrey bent over to examine her, and brought her up to the Hospital Wing. She saw the Headmaster and Remus trailing along behind her, Dumbledore talking quietly to her friend. She managed to raise her eyes to where she knew the boy's Dormitory was and felt her stomach drop. James and Sirius were looking out the window, both as pale as Remus was. They were going to have some explaining to do.

While Madam Pomfrey tended to Rory, Remus was practically tripping over himself to explain to Dumbledore that he hadn't meant to do any of it, that he was so sorry, he felt so bad. He was practically crying before Dumbledore held up a long finger to silence him.

"Mr. Lupin," He began, "I know you cannot control yourself during the full moon. I do not believe for a single second that you intended to do this to Ms. Knight. I am quite certain she doesn't blame you either, being in a similar situation."

Remus felt his knees go weak and collapsed onto a chair. He knew he shouldn't be feeling relieved, but he was. He raised his eyes to the Headmaster's and asked, "Why didn't she fight back? She had control, why didn't she try and stop me from hurting her this badly."

Dumbledore seemed to consider his words before answering. "Well, this is just my guess, but I believe Ms. Knight was afraid that her control would cause her to harm you more should she fight back. I believe she felt that the human control and intelligence in the wolf form could cause you much more serious injury than you were causing her. She also, I am sure, knew that you were unable to control yourself, and so did not think it very fair play to use her control to harm you over something you did not do intentionally."

The Headmaster, he was sure, was trying to make him feel better, but his words made Remus feel as though he would burn to ashes with shame. He sat miserably in the chair, feeling nothing but immense guilt over how he had hurt his friend, gazing at the floor, and only looking up when the Nurse came over to them, which seemed to be many hours later, but was really only a few minutes.

"Come on, Siri, hurry up!" James hissed at Sirius as they raced towards the Hospital Wing.

"I'm coming as fast as I can, James!" Sirius bit his lip, unable to get the image of Rory as they had seen her that morning out of his head. "Do you think she's okay? What do you think happened?"

James only had time to shrug before they came to a sudden stop outside the Hospital Wing doors, which were standing ajar. They heard what Dumbledore said to Remus, and saw Madam Pomfrey hurry over to them. They stared at one another, pale, as they heard her say.

"There was quite a lot of damage. Most of her ribs are broken, as is one of her wrists, and she has countless lacerations and bruises. I have her mostly patched up, but I'm keeping her in here until at least this evening. She's asking for you, Remus."

James and Sirius continued to stare at each other, before Sirius motioned that they should leave before they got caught. He looked very troubled, as did James. They walked outside and sat near the lake in silence. Then, they started talking in low voices.

Remus made his way over to Rory's bed, feeling like he was ready to cry. He felt so utterly horrible about what he'd done. He sat down next to her bed and looked at her. Madam Pomfrey healed most of her cuts, but she still had some, as well as a few bruises on her face. He felt sick with himself as he whispered "I'm sorry."

Rory tried to smile, but it came out looking more like a grimace. "It's okay, Remus. You couldn't help it. When you have better control, it will be different."

He looked over at her. "You're not mad?"

She looked amazed. "Of course I'm not mad! Why would I be mad! I know what it's like to not have any control, I understand. I promise, I'm not mad, truly. How could you think I'd be angry over something you can't yet control? But we have a bigger problem." At the end of that sentence, she had dropped her voice to a whisper.

Remus looked confused. "A bigger problem than this? What could that be?"

Rory sighed, dread pooling her in stomach. "As Madam Pomfrey brought me up here this morning, I looked up at Gryffindor Tower."

_Oh no,_ Remus thought to himself, _Please don't say they saw us, oh please don't. _He looked at Rayne, and his face seemed to grow paler, her dread mirrored in his face.

Rayne looked ready to cry herself now. Despite what she had said to Remus earlier, she felt certain that their new friends would want nothing to do with them now that they knew, and it pained her greatly. A lifetime of having no friends, of facing discrimination, had jaded her more than she was willing to admit. "Sirius and James were looking out the window, and I think they saw us."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The Secret

Sirius and James had talked well into the afternoon, and went in to eat dinner that evening, before going back up to the common room. When Peter found them, they filled him in. They had talked about everything they heard and reached the same conclusion: Their friends were werewolves. They understood completely why they hadn't told them. Well, James and Sirius did, Peter was simply horrified at hearing that he had been in close contact with two werewolves for over a month.

They knew that Remus and Rory were afraid of being outcast or losing their friends. During the last month and a half, they had all become extraordinarily close. James and Sirius had no intention of abandoning their friends. At least, that's what they said. In reality, they were upset that neither Remus, nor Rory, had trusted them enough to tell them the truth. They were upset and angry over it. As a result, they decided to avoid them until they knew better that to do. Peter simply went along with what James and Sirius would do, even though he was very relieved they decided to avoid the werewolves they were House mates with.

Later that evening, James, Sirius, and Peter were doing their homework when the portrait hole opened and Remus helped Rory through it. Everyone in the common room froze. Her appearance hadn't improved. She looked, basically, as though she'd had the shit beaten out of her. Her face was bruised, and though the worst of the lacerations were healed, there were still many of them visible, and the ones that had healed left visible scars. Rory was obviously in pain. Her silvery eyes found the three Marauders at the table, and she felt a pang as they all looked away. The renewed grip on her arm told her Remus saw it as well. She sighed and chose not to push the issue, instead allowing Remus to lead her over to the couch.

Lily was there. She looked up from her reading, smiling as she prepared to greet her roommate, and her expression immediately turned to one of shock as she took in Rory's appearance.

"Rory! Merlin, what _happened_ to you? Are you all right?" Lily's eyes were wide and concerned.

Rory hurried to calm her down, forcing a smile onto her face through the pain. "Lily, I'm fine, really. It's so utterly stupid of me. Remus and I were on our way back from the dungeons, where Filch had us cleaning, since McGonagall decided lines was to light a punishment. It was late, and I was so tired, I tripped and fell backwards down the stairs near the Great Hall. Remus brought me up to the Hospital Wing and stayed with me all day." She didn't know where this story came from, it just came out. Luckily Lily seemed to have bought it, and offered to go bring down her schoolbag. Rory gratefully accepted and sat down as Lily walked upstairs. Rory felt hot guilt bubbling in her stomach for the lie as she watched her friend go.

Remus sat next to her, nodding slightly to the table where James, Sirius and Peter sat. They all sat there, being far more absorbed in their homework than they'd ever been. Rory sighed, tears stinging her eyes. She blinked them away furiously. No _way_ was she going to let them see her cry. She looked at Remus, and saw that he looked just as sad, and felt for him. She, at least, would be able to escape to the dormitory, while he had to room with them.

At that moment, thankfully, Lily came back with Rory's work, and so she had something to distract her. They worked in silence, getting as much done as she could, before calling it an early night. Remus moved to help her off the sofa, and she let him, whispering to him while they were standing, "I'm fine, really. Please don't feel so bad." Gulping, he nodded, smiling a little gratefully at her. She walked up the stairs. As soon as she was out of sight of the common room, she leaned against the wall briefly, closing her eyes, willing tears away. Sighing, she made her way back into the dormitory and crawled into bed. She felt the rejection of her friends as though they'd stood up and shouted out that they wanted nothing to do with her, and it hurt. It hurt so much more than her physical wounds. Rory curled up under her blankets and silently cried herself to sleep.

Remus stayed awake a little longer before climbing up to his own bed and crawling in. After what seemed like a long time, he heard the others coming in, and he pretended to be asleep. None of them questioned this as they changed and climbed into their own beds and fell asleep.

Rory woke up early the next morning, not really feeling much better. She still ached, both physically and mentally. Wearily, she got up and dressed silently, so as not to wake her roommates and walked downstairs, to see Remus coming down the stairs to the boy's dormitory. Their eyes met and they smiled at each other sadly.

Rory shrugged. When she spoke, it was impossible for her to keep the despair out of her voice. "We knew they'd find out eventually. I didn't think they'd turn their backs on us like this, but" she stopped and sighed, "We really should have expected it." Rory blinked back tears, but couldn't stop one from falling down her cheek anyway. She led the way out of the portrait hole. Neither of them noticed Sirius, James and Peter coming down the stairs from where they'd been listening, two looking ashamed of themselves, and Peter appearing uncomfortable.

Classes did not go well for Rory for the next few weeks. She became close with Lily, and spoke a little with Severus, who was always with her, but she missed her other friends, as much as she hated herself for it.

She couldn't concentrate in Charms and ended up setting a desk on fire once as a result. At lunch, neither she nor Remus ate very much. They always sat a little ways away from Sirius, James and Peter, and when she heard the boys start laughing at something, she couldn't stop herself from crying a little. Remus noticed this and helped her out of the Great Hall. Potions, normally one of her best classes, turned into a mess one day when she botched her potion up so badly it exploded. Professor Slughorn, who knew this behavior to be quite out of the ordinary for her, showed more concern than anger and let her leave class before the bell. As she walked by Sirius, their eyes met before she could look away. She saw sadness in his eyes, but it was nothing to what she was sure was reflected in her own eyes.

Sirius opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Rory hurried past him, slamming the dungeon door behind her and hurrying out of the castle. She stopped down by the lake and just sat there. She knew she should get up and eat something, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She just sat there under the tree by the lake, and eventually Remus joined her. He seemed to know that silence was what was called for, so they sat there, not talking, staring out over the lake.

Meanwhile, Potions class ended, and Sirius was arguing with James. "I'm telling you James, we should talk to them. You didn't see the look in her eyes when she walked out of the classroom. They're really upset. We should say something! It's been weeks since we spoke to either of them."

James simply shook his head. "Say what, Sirius? 'Oh, Hi, I know, you didn't want us to know, but we've found out all about you.' I don't know about you, but I'm still hurt that they didn't tell us sooner. Friends don't keep things from one another, right Peter?"

Peter only shrugged; he really wanted to be kept out of this argument. His friends were popular, and so he was popular by association, and didn't want to make either of them angry at him. James, however, did not appear satisfied and so Peter sighed "They're werewolves, guys. Dangerous. I'm not sure we should go near them."

Sirius rolled his eyes "You daft git. If either Rory or Remus were going to do anything to us, they had plenty of time before we found out, and even would have had motivation after we avoided them. I think we should apologize."

"Maybe, Sirius, they should come to us."

"Well, that's just stupid, James. Why would they come to us? Did you see how Rory looked that night when they came into the common room? And we've got to be the biggest prats in the world; we didn't even get up to see if they were okay! We looked away and pretended that they weren't even there! If you were them, would you come up to us after that? I wouldn't. You say friends don't keep things from each other, but friends don't abandon each other either. I think we should find them."

James sighed. After a few long, tense moments in which he gave off every appearance of thinking, he said, "Yeah, you're right. Let's go, they're probably outside. You know how much Rory enjoys sitting near the lake."

Rory and Remus looked up at the sound of people approaching. Rory let out a low groan as she saw that it was Sirius, James and Peter. She and Remus got up to leave, not really wanting to be made uncomfortable by their, what they thought were, former friends, sitting nearby. Remus avoided looking at the trio that was approaching, but Rory made to walk by with her head held high. She almost made it, but Sirius laid a hand on his arm to stop her. She turned to face him; her eyes narrowed warily, and jerked her arm out of his grasp before walking quickly away, heading to the castle as fast as she could without running. Sirius watched her go sadly for a minute before turning to Remus and saying "I'm sorry. We all are. We're idiots."

Remus stood there, simply too amazed to move. He had been expecting insults, jeers, anything other than this. He stood there, eyes wide, staring at each of them in turn, wondering if this was some sort of practical joke. Finally, James spoke up.

"We, Sirius and I, saw you that morning after the full moon, and saw the condition Rory was in, and we figured it out, well, after we went up to the Hospital Wing and heard you and Dumbledore talking. We're sorry we were prats. We just didn't know how to react. But we realize we're being idiots. You're our friend, and we shouldn't have turned out backs on you. Either of you." He gestured towards the still retreating figure of Rory.

Sirius spoke up again, "Can we be friends again? Now that we know what to expect, we can react better next month." Peter remained silent, still not certain they were doing the right thing, but keeping his thoughts to himself.

Remus looked at them all, and saw that they were sincere. He smiled and nodded, so happy that they hadn't actually abandoned him that he was incapable of speech. He also momentarily forgot that Rory had stalked off, as he started laughing and joking with his friends again.

The Marauder's laughter echoed back to Rory's ears and she sighed. She sat on the steps leading up to the castle and watched them laugh and joke near the lake. She watched them sprawl out by the grass and felt tears prickling her eyes. Rory bit her lip to keep them from falling, but she couldn't quite manage it. No one was around, so she laid her head on her knees and just let them fall. She heard the doors open behind her, but wasn't quick enough at wiping her face. It was Lily, with Severus Snape, whom she didn't know very well, but she knew Lily was very close with him.

"Rory, hey, are you okay?" Lily sat down next to her as she asked, looking concerned. Severus sat down on her other side, looking curious, but not concerned, since he didn't really know her well either.

Rory nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine, it's just…." Laughter echoed back towards them again, making it perfectly clear what was bothering her. Lily looked like she understood completely. But, of course, she couldn't. She thought they were only fighting, she didn't know the whole story.

"Oh. You're still fighting with them, then?" Lily looked out over the lake and frowned. "Oh. They made up with Remus, but not you…" Lily's voice trailed off. Rory suddenly stood up. "I'm sorry, Lily, but I gotta go. I'll see you later. Bye, Severus." She nodded at the boy before hurrying inside. She looked around, wondering where to go. She couldn't go to the common room, _they'd_ be there eventually, and she knew it was obvious she'd been crying. So she took refuse in the library. Lily hadn't meant to, but she'd given voice to what she had been thinking while watching Remus and his friends. They'd made up with Remus, but not her. Why not her? Why wasn't she good enough for them to try and make up with? Rayne sighed and grabbed a random book off the nearest shelf and sat down to read, not really seeing.

Lily looked mad. Not because Rory had gotten up and left so abruptly, she understood that perfectly, but because her friend had been upset so badly. She got up and marched over to where the Marauders were sitting, with Severus trailing behind, hurrying to keep up, and glared at them. They looked up at her, and James opened up his mouth to say something, looking happy to see her, but Lily cut him off.

"Save it! I hope you're all happy! While you idiots are here, laughing and having a good time, Rory just went back into the castle looking really upset. You've got to be the biggest prats I've ever met in my life! You're so selfish it makes me sick!" With one last scathing look at them, she turned and marched away, with Severus not far behind her, sneering over his shoulder, leaving the Marauders looking somber. Sirius turned to Remus and said, "Do you think you could talk to her? Rory, I mean. Apologize for us?"

Remus looked unsure. He doubted very much that she would settle for a second hand apology from him. In fact, he was sure she'd be furious. But maybe he could try anyway. He nodded slowly. "All right. I'll give it a shot. But I can't promise anything. I really think you should talk to her yourselves, but I can try."


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The Apology

A few more days passed before Remus got up the courage to approach Rory again. But those few days weren't full of fun for the female werewolf. The male Marauders were inseparable, and as a result of such, whenever Remus sighted Rory in the hallways and tried to talk to her, they were always with him. Rory, who was still very hurt and really rather angry, tended to hurry the other way, often shutting herself in the girl's bathroom so that they couldn't follow. Finally Remus became annoyed and barged into the bathroom after her. Rather than being outraged at the rather inappropriate intrusion, Rory simply narrowed her eyes, anger flashing across them, making them bright, almost with malice.

"What do you want? Shouldn't you be out palling around with your new bosom buddies again?" She spat at him viscously.

Remus sighed and looked Rory in the eyes. A rather brave move, he thought, since her gaze was full of something he thought was venomous hatred. "I came in here because they want me to apologize to you for them. They say they're sorry and want us all to be friends again. They were upset and angry that we didn't trust…." But here, his voice trailed off, for Rory, rather than being appeased, was becoming angrier with each word that came out of his mouth. Her eyes were narrowed nearly to slits, with silver glinting out through the lids, and though she tried to help it, her claws and fangs grew slightly, and when she spoke, the growl was evident in her voice. Never before had Remus seen as much of the wolf in a person as he saw right at this moment, even though it wasn't a full moon, it scared him a little, honestly.

"Oh, they're _sorry_, are they? If they're so damn _sorry, _then why aren't _they_ here apologizing to me? Why can't they face me themselves? I'm not good enough for a damn face to face apology; I have to get their words thrown at me second-hand through _you_!!" Rory's voice grew louder with each word, so that the three Marauders' outside the bathroom had no trouble hearing what she was saying. "They can save their bloody apology! It's nothing but insincere words that they don't have the bloody guts to tell me to my face! And _you_! _You_, of all people, should know better than to do this, to deliver messages for people who should be delivering them themselves! _How dare you_! Get out! Just… Just leave me alone. You're just as bad as them! Where have you been for the last few days? Not concerned about me, not hurrying to give me even a glance or a bloody smile! You've been to busy hanging around with your new friends. Well, _fine_! I don't need you! I don't need _them_ either! I lived without friends until now, I can keep doing it! Maybe they didn't abandon you, Remus, but I'm still alone. I just thought maybe you would understand. But no. I'm alone, just like always." Near the end of this tirade, her voice fell back to normal levels, and rather than sounding furious, Rory sounded sad. Sad and lonely and broken. She hadn't realized, after all, how much she longed for friends until they left her. She turned her back on Remus so he wouldn't see that she was dreadfully close to breaking down and sobbing, even as she hated herself for the tears that threatened to fall.

Remus had stood there as she screamed at him, wide-eyed and pale. He knew she was justified in feeling the way she did, and he felt like a world class prat. But even knowing all that, he hadn't expected her to scream at him that way. Sighing, he thought better of trying to explain himself to her, and instead walked out of the bathroom. The Marauders' were waiting, all looking ashamed. Remus had no doubt that they had heard every word. Miserably, they all made their way back up to Gryffindor Tower.

Inside the bathroom, Rory heard them leave. She collapsed onto the tiled floor, heartbreaking sobs of loneliness echoing off the walls around her.

She had no idea how long she stayed like that, but knew it was a while. Slowly, she climbed to her feet, her legs shaking, and walked back up to Gryffindor Tower by herself. It was dark outside, and she knew she had missed dinner. It didn't matter, her stomach was so knotted with misery that she hadn't much of an appetite anyway. Her eyes were on the floor, and they were aching and scratchy feeling from crying. Her ribs were throbbing with the force of her sobs, and all she wanted to do was sleep. She felt that she couldn't bear anymore pain in her mind. Her brain felt full to bursting with hurt, with loneliness, with anger, with longing, and with loathing. Not loathing for them, but loathing for herself, for allowing herself to need them, to let their rejection affect her as it had. She walked up to the Fat Lady and gave the password numbly, her voice holding barely any inflection. For the first time in her ten years of being a werewolf, for the first time ever, even after watching mother's pull their children across the street to get away from her, after hearing men yell that she was a beast and should be killed, after having stones thrown at her by the neighborhood children, and after one memorable incident where all the children had ganged up on her and beaten her unconscious, for the very first time, she felt defeated. She felt utterly and truly alone. As she climbed into the common room, she didn't raise her eyes from the carpet to see who was there, if anyone, but proceeded straight to the stairs leading to the girl's dormitory. She didn't hear Sirius call her name from across the room, as lost in her thoughts as she was.

She walked into the dormitory, and noted, thankfully, that it was empty, and that was good. She didn't know what her roommate's reaction would be to this, and she wasn't eager to find out. She walked over to her trunk and pulled out the thin silver dagger she'd brought from home with her. The dagger was a gift, a long time ago. It was sterling, and sharp, the blade was slightly wavy (A kriss blade, she thought it was called), and there was a wolf decorating the hilt. The man who gave her this dagger had intended her to kill herself with it, at least, that's what she remembered him shouting at her as he threw it at her feet, but she had another purpose for it.

She hadn't done this in months, since the summer, but it was a habit she'd gotten into back home, one her parents didn't even know about, as they didn't even know of the dagger itself. It helped with the pain, when the rejection of those around her became too much to bear...At least for a little while. She hadn't felt the need to in months, since meeting the Marauders, but now, she turned to the dagger as though it were an old friend that she hadn't seen in ages. She glanced up towards the door and made sure no one was coming before pulling back her sleeve. Old scars still shown there, easy to overlook since she had so many others, because of her affliction. Now, she dragged the sharp blade across her skin, and a thin line of crimson appeared in its wake.

She hissed softly as the wound stung, but she also welcomed the pain. She stowed the dagger away in the trunk and took out her bandages before getting up and walking into the bathroom attached to the dorm. She cleaned it and bandaged it well, as she knew that having something to treat made her feel a little better as she pulled her sleeve back over the bandage. Sighing, she decided to walk downstairs and start her homework. She grabbed her bag and made to settle herself on the sofa, when a hand closed around her wrist. The same wrist she had just cut. She yelped, a very wolfish yelp, partly in pain and partly in surprised, and looked up into the stormy gray eyes of Sirius Black. Rory immediately tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her go. Behind him stood James and Peter, while Remus sat back at the table watching them, his eyes narrowed slightly, his brow creased in confusion. Rory narrowed her eyes. He couldn't possibly know, but he was causing her wrist to bleed more, and throb, but she stopped trying to pull away. She hated herself for the hurt that was showing in her eyes, and hated even more the tears that were filling them. _Damn him_, she thought, _I won't cry, I won't, I won't. _The thought repeated itself as she stopped the tears from falling with sheer force of will.

Sirius saw the tears fill her eyes, and he saw the hurt in them. He hadn't noticed before how lovely her eyes were, and he hated that they'd all hurt her so much. He wanted to hug her, to let her tears fall, but he saw the determination behind the hurt and knew if he didn't apologize first, she would think it pity. So he looked into her silver eyes, into the eyes that seemed to steal the very light from the moon, and said, for what was only the second time in his whole life. "I'm sorry."

James and Peter echoed his words, but Rory was so shocked all she could do was stare at Sirius. She was sure he didn't mean it, that it must be a joke, and after a moment her eyes narrowed again. She spat viciously at him, "Don't play games with me, Black. You've done it enough."

Sirius only shook his head. "We're not. Honest. You were right; we should have apologized to you in person. Only..." Here he broke off, grinning in a lopsided sheepish way. "We were kind of afraid of you hurting us. Please. Really, we're sorry. Honest. Forgive us?"

Rory blinked back tears again, but these weren't tears of hurt, or sorrow, or even anger. She wasn't really sure what they were, honestly. They wanted to be her friends again, she really wasn't alone. Slowly, she nodded, and Sirius let go of her wrist, only to pull her into a rough hug when a tear fell down her cheek before she could stop it.

As happy as Rory was to have her friends back, she knew she couldn't let her guard down again. For her own safety, she wouldn't again let them get close enough to hurt her, knowing how much it had hurt her the first time. Sighing inwardly at the thought that, despite this being a happy reunion, she had in fact lost her friends, Rory sat down with them and began her homework.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Christmas Tragedy

The beginning of December brought frigid temperatures and unrelenting winds. It also brought another Full Moon. Throughout the rest of November, Rory had been teaching Remus her best techniques for control; the ones that had worked the best and fastest for her. Luckily, he was turning out to be a quick study. He couldn't transform at will, not yet, but this Full Moon would show whether or not he could still keep his mind when the wolf took over his body.

The night of the Full Moon came quickly. Sirius and James set off a distraction so Rory and Remus could leave the Tower without arousing awkward questions. They no longer required an escort to the Whomping Willow, so they hurried across the grounds on their own. Remus used a long branch to still the tree, and the hurried through the tunnel. Rory closed the door behind them and breathed a sigh of relief as the moon rose and bathed the room in its silvery light. They hadn't been followed. Or so they thought.

Remus tensed, expecting the pain that normally accompanied his transformations. He closed his eyes tight and clenched his teeth, waiting. But the pain, the agony, never came. He opened his eyes as he and Rory transformed into wolves fluidly, without screaming out in pain. Rory stretched her arms above her head, sighing as her bones and muscles stretched, stretching her jaw wide as it elongated and her fangs grew. Remus simply stood and let the sensations wash over him. It was strange, not feeling as though he was going to die during his transformations. It was something he wasn't used to, but he enjoyed it immensely.

After both of their transformations were complete, Rory sat down on her haunches, threw her head back and howled. The sound was filled with joy, not pain or hunger, and Remus was compelled to howl with her. After they stopped, they looked at one another, circling each other. Remus was a sandy blonde colored wolf. His fur was this, but he was thin, very thin. His eyes were amber, glowing as the light hit them. Rory's fur was black as her hair, and she was slightly bigger than him. You could see the toned look of her muscles under her fur. Her eyes were silver, of course, and seemed to have an eerie glow whether the moonlight struck them or not.

Remus noticed that his senses were heightened. He could hear the voices from up in the castle, he could smell various scents from the village of Hogsmeade, he could see everything in the room, despite the only light being what came in through the boarded up windows. He sniffed and explored everything in the room, while Rory jumped up on the bed and lay down, simply watching. She remembered how elated and amazed she had been the first time her transformations were painless. She stretched and lay her head down across her pays, her silver eyes twinkling with mirth as she watched Remus explore every nook and cranny of the room. When he moved to the door and went to open it with his paw, however, her head shot up and she growled, causing Remus to turn around and look at her, confused. Rory simply shook her head to convey that they couldn't leave the room, and then nodded her head towards the window, where they moon was setting and the sun would rise soon. Remus stretched and jumped up on the bed lying next to her. When Madam Pomfrey and Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore arrived to fetch them shortly after dawn, that's how they found them, asleep, still in their fur, on the bed. Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall shrieked and jumped back, but Dumbledore merely cleared his throat, causing the two wolves to look up. They glanced at each other, before transforming quickly back into their human selves and collapsing in giggles onto the bed.

When they finally had control over themselves, they looked at the assembled adults. Rory plastered a hasty look of innocence on her face and said "Sorry, Professors. We fell asleep." Remus bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey looked amazed, while Dumbledore chuckled.

"So, Mr. Lupin, it seems that Miss Knight has started teaching you control as well. Very good." Rory and Remus merely nodded. "Well, it seems that now Mr. Lupin can put his mind at ease, knowing that he'll no longer harm one of his friends unintentionally. Now, let's go back up to the castle. I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will insist on examining you before breakfast, isn't that right, Poppy? Miss Knight, if you could afford me a few moments of your time after the Christmas Holiday, I would very much like to speak with you about how you managed such amazing control." Rory could really only nod her consent.

The Medi-witch bustled forward, nodding, "Quite right. Come on, you two; let's go, quickly, before students start coming out onto the grounds." Meekly, they followed Madam Pomfrey out of the Shrieking Shack and up to the castle, where they were lead to the Hospital Wing and examined quickly before being released. They made their way down to breakfast, but found their progress hampered by a slight altercation in the Entrance Hall.

Lily Evans stood in front of a smirking Sirius, a sheepish looking James, and a nervous Peter. Severus Snape stood behind her and his hair was pink. Bright, blinking, electric neon pink. It was also braided into pigtails. It didn't take a genius to figure out who was responsible, especially after Lily started yelling, her voice shaking with fury.

"Why did you do this? Sev has never done anything to any of you and you have to hex him at every opportunity! What is wrong with you? You're just a bunch of bullies! Why can't you just leave him alone? Put it right! Now!"

Remus and Rory made their way down the rest of the stairs as Sirius shook his head, indicating that they would not undo the hex they'd done. Remus sighed, but Rory narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, joining Lily in glaring at the three Marauders. The combined force was sufficient to make them cower and take a few steps back from the two girls.

"She's right. You're only picking on him because he's in Slytherin, and that's not nearly a good enough reason!" Rory said before pulling out her wand. The boys all jumped back, but Rory turned to Severus, intending to end the hex. Before she could straighten out Severus' hair, Sirius spoke behind her, ignoring the frantic "Shushing" motions that James and Peter were giving him.

"So, what, are you Snivelly's friend too, now?" He said, with more than a hint of sneer in his voice, tinged with a bit of jealousy, causing Rory to whirl on him and step forward until she was right up in his face. "That's right Sirius, I am. Maybe you forgot about the few weeks where none of you idiots spoke to me, but I haven't. And what I also haven't forgotten is the fact that _Severus_" (She put heavy emphasis on the name, to show what she thought of the nickname) "did speak to me during that time. I don't turn my back on people, unlike _some_ of us here." She finished this statement with a scathing look at them before turning around and waving her wand, saying "Finite Incantatum", causing Severus' hair to return to its normal color and style. James and Sirius marched past her, with Peter trailing along behind them, while Rory offered Severus a hesitant smile.

"Sorry about them. They can be idiots."

Severus looked a little uncomfortable before smiling slightly and saying "Thanks. Lily, I'll see you later, okay?" Lily nodded and Severus went into the Great Hall. Lily turned to Rory and said, "Thanks. I don't know why they pick on him so much, but I'm glad you helped me stand up for him." Rory simply shrugged and said, "I know what it's like to be picked on for no reason. I like Sev, he's not that bad, and he's never done anything to them. Mind you, if he'd hexed them first, I would have sided with them. Come on, let's eat."

They walked into the Great Hall, where they saw Remus scolding the other three Marauders, who were at least now looking ashamed of themselves. Rory bade Lily farewell and sat down with her friends, glaring at them before starting to eat. After a few minutes of tense and cold silence from all around, she said to Remus, "Are you going home over the Christmas Holiday?"

"No, my mum and dad are going to visit our grandparents, and, well, they're not really that fond of me." Rory nodded her understanding.

"What about you Rory, the rest of us are staying here too, are you going home?" Sirius asked, hesitantly, as though she might start shouting at him again.

"No, I'm not staying behind. My parents are pretty insistent about Christmas being meant to be spent with family, so I'll be heading home." She said this with little enthusiasm, as the village she lived in was a place where she was constantly targeted but the residence for being what she was. Rory doubted that this Christmas would be any different.

The last day of classes before the holiday passed quickly enough. Rory quickly packed a few things in a backpack, leaving her trunk and most of her things in the dorm, and went downstairs. She hugged all of her friends and said she'd see them after the holiday, and boarded the train home. Her parents met her at King's Cross and she smiled and hugged them, telling them excitedly about Hogwarts and her friends. The ride home was filled with laughter and conversation. That night, there was a fabulous dinner, and more laughter as Rory recounted her classes and how much she was learning. She told them all about Remus and how she was teaching him control, and didn't miss the look of pride her parents exchanged with each other. She told them about the Marauders, but _did_ miss the knowing smile they shared when she spent a little bit longer telling them about Sirius than she did the others. Rory's parents let her open her gifts that night, as was tradition in their family, and she gave them hers. She instantly fell in love with the pewter wolf jewelry she had been given, earrings, and a beautiful locket, and a few rings that were all beautifully created.

Looking back, Rory should have known it was too good to last.

Rory went to bed that night, Christmas Eve, after packing her presents in her backpack, filled with her favorite foods and thoughts of what Christmas Day would bring. She was sleeping soundly when she was woken by a crash and muffled screams from downstairs. Sitting upright, she slipped silently out of her bed and crouched near her open door. She sniffed the air around her, smelling her mother and father, but there was someone else in the house as well. This person smelled like blood, and dirt and sweat, and most importantly, menace. She strained her hearing to its fullest, trying to make out the comforting sounds of her parent's heartbeats, but couldn't find them. _Maybe they're downstairs in the kitchen_, she thought to herself. But at that moment, she smelled the acrid scent of petrol and heard a muttered, gravelly voice say "Incendio!" before smelling fire.

Rory was rooted where she was crouched, panicked. She barely heard the crashing of the window as whoever lit the fire jumped out of it to escape the unforgiving flames. Finally catching her bearings, Rory ran to her parent's room, praying to whatever god was listening that she'd find them in there. Their bed was made up and didn't appear to have been slept in yet. Now feeling frantic, she used her wand to light the fireplace, and grabbed the jar of floo powder that was kept on the mantle. Throwing some in, she yelled "Hogwarts' Headmasters office!" and when the flames turned green, as the fire consuming her home licked at the door of her parent's bedroom with its fiery tongue, she screamed wildly, "Help me!!" before backing into a corner, as far from the flames as she could get. She had read that she could cast a Freezing Charm to still the flames, but they hadn't learned how yet.

Smoke was filling the room, and the heat was getting closer, and no one came. _Dumbledore must not have been in his office. Oh, where are Mum and Dad? _No sooner had she finished that thought when the fireplace turned green again and out stepped the Headmaster and Professors McGonagall and Flitwick. Rayne nearly sobbed with relief as they put out the flames. She stayed close at their heels as they moved through the house, looking for her parents.

Looking up at Dumbledore, her silver eyes pleading and her voice laced with worry, she asked "Do you think they got out before the fire?" Dumbledore didn't answer, merely looking around more. The twinkle in his eyes was dulled considerably as he surveyed the damage to the small home. As Rory stepped out into the hallway, the stench of burnt flesh assaulted her nose and she staggered slightly. Catching herself, she followed the scent into the kitchen, unaware that the three Professors were following her, not hearing the small pops that signified people apparating onto her lawn, paying no attention to the fireplace as more people floo'd in to the living room, not hearing the Magical Law Enforcement Squad asking questions, brushing off someone's hand when it came to rest on her shoulder, not hearing the familiar voices behind her asking her if she was okay and telling her to come sit for a while, so everyone could check the house out. She only followed that scent, her stomach knotted with dread, even as her mind screamed that it wasn't true, they couldn't be dead.

Entering the Kitchen, she saw them there. They were on the floor, sprawled out at odd angles. They were burnt so badly that, had she not already known they were her parents, she wouldn't have recognized them. Her mind reeled. Her parents, who loved her unconditionally. Her parents, who never gave into pressure to think of her as an animal, who tried to treat her like every other child, who celebrated birthdays, and Christmases, and took her to dinner when she got into Hogwarts. Who had kissed her goodbye when she got on the train on September the first. Who had written her after every full moon, and every week, making sure she was okay. Her parents, who signed every letter "Love always, Mum and Dad", who called her Cub as a term of affection, who tried so hard to show her she wasn't the monster so many wanted to believe she was. They were lying on the cold floor, dead. They would never smile, laugh, hug her, celebrate any accomplishments, be patient with her failures, or scold her when she got in trouble. Never again would they live, or breathe. They were dead.

All this went through Rory's mind in less than a second before she did the only thing that came close to voicing the horror she felt right then. She screamed and fell to the floor in front of them, sobbing.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

A Friend Indeed

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore surveyed the four Gryffindor first year boys over the top of his half moon spectacles with a grave expression. Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House Minerva McGonagall stood next to him, her lips thing and glaring at the very same boys, who were now fidgeting and hoping the two adults would say something. Head of Ravenclaw House Filius Flitwick and Head of Slytherin House Horace Slughorn also stood nearby. Finally, Dumbledore spoke, his voice tinged heavily with disappointment.

"I am very disappointed in you four. The prank you played on young Mister Snape could have cost him his very ability to walk, if not his life. What do you have to say for yourselves?"

The four boys all looked at the ground. Earlier in the evening, the Marauders had played a prank on Severus Snape, setting loose Filibusters fireworks in front of him as he was at the top of the stairs, causing him to topple backwards. The prank had been Sirius' idea, as he was still feeling jealousy over Rory sticking up for him, though he didn't understand why he was jealous. Lily's scream had reverberated through the hallway, alerting students and teachers alike. Snape was in the hospital wing, and would be fine, and the Marauders had immediately been dragged by McGonagall to the Headmaster's office.

James sighed to himself, knowing and answer was needed. "We didn't mean to make him fall down the stairs. We only wanted to spook him a little, all in good fun. We really didn't mean for anyone to get hurt." He said this all while keeping his eyes trained on the floor. It was true; after all, he really _hadn't_ wanted anyone to get hurt.

The glare of McGonagall lessened imperceptibly, and the Headmaster nodded. "Well, I am glad you did not intend harm to come to young Mister Snape. However, you must be disciple-"

At that moment, the Headmaster was cut off. His fireplace flared green and a voice, heavily laden with terror, shrieked "Help me!" It was a voice all present recognized as belonging to Rory Knight, and three Heads of House immediately stood up, using the floo to leave. Dumbledore ordered Slughorn to stay behind, so one Head of House would be present. Slughorn immediately left to go to the Hospital Wing, and the Marauders all looked at one another before Sirius spoke.

"That was Rory! She's in trouble! We have to go help her." He immediately moved towards the fireplace, only to turn back when he realized he wasn't being followed. "Well?"

The other three looked torn, and it was Remus that spoke "Siri…we're already in a lot of trouble, and if we leave school, even to help Rory, we might get in even more trouble…" He trailed off at the look of disbelief etching across Sirius' face.

"Remus, are you joking? She's our friend and she could be in trouble. If I get in trouble because I went to go see if one of our best friends needed my help, then it will be worth it to me." With that, Sirius grabbed a handful of floo powder and left, shouting out the same address he had heard the Headmaster use. He didn't blame the others for not wanting to get in more trouble, but his friend needed his help, and he was going.

As he came tumbling out of the fireplace, he saw that the small home was damaged by fire. It was filled with Aurors and the professors all looked at him, McGonagall preparing a rebuke, but Dumbledore laid a hand on her arm, shaking his head slightly. Sirius turned and saw Rory walking towards the kitchen as though in a daze, not registering anyone or even noticing that anyone else was there, but from his spot near the fireplace, he could see into the kitchen, where two bodies lay, badly burned and clearly dead. Sirius knew they had to be Rory's parents, and he also knew she hadn't seen them yet. He stepped forward quickly, reaching out and grasping her shoulder, saying "Rory, why don't you come and sit for a minute, let the Aurors work," only to sigh sadly as she brushed his hand away.

Not knowing what else to do, Sirius followed her into the Kitchen, biting his lip softly as she stopped short, having seen the bodies of her parents. After barely a second, Rory crumpled to the ground and screamed. That scream tore at Sirius' heart, it was so filled with pain and despair and denial. As he heard her start sobbing and pleading for it not to be true, he acted on instinct. Leaning down, Sirius picked Rory up in his arms, cradling her against him. She pushed away slightly and he whispered comforting words in her ear, causing her to relax against him, her gaze distant and shocked. He doubted she even knew he was there. Sirius looked at the professors, saw them looking at the scene with sadness and carried Rory out of the house, sitting on a bench in the small, slightly overgrown front garden, and wrapping his arms tightly around her, whispering in her ear that everything would be all right, and rocking her back and forth slightly.

Rory collapsed onto the ground as she screamed. She stared, wide-eyed, at the burnt and unrecognizable bodies of her parents and sobbed, begging for it not to be true. She registered strong arms wrapping around her and picking her up and pushed away, reluctant to leave, only to hear a voice, familiar whispering in her ear to come away now, it was all right, to go with him. Faintly, she recognized the voice and scent of Sirius and allowed herself to stop fighting. She relaxed against him, sobbing, and felt him carry her outside. He sat down, with her in his lap, and rocked her back and forth while she cried; telling her it would all be okay.

But she knew better and now creeping through the horror of what had happened and the sadness and despair of losing her parents, was fear. She, like all other werewolves, knew well the laws regarding them, and she was terrified, and clung to Sirius' robes as though her very life depended on it. She barely registered someone, she thought maybe McGonagall, placing her backpack next to the bench. Someone was asking questions, and someone was shouting, but she just couldn't make any sense of it. She buried her face against Sirius' shoulder and willed the noise away feeling his arms wrap tighter around her.

After Sirius had taken Rory from the house, it was pandemonium. Aurors stating the werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, had been sighted in the area. People shouting questions and demanding answers, McGonagall bringing Rory's belongings down, Dumbledore arguing with a fat little witch who bore a resemblance to a toad and was demanding Rory's immediate surrender to the Ministry. Said witch stormed away from Dumbledore and stalked outside, wand drawn, and demanded Sirius release her, she was to be brought to the Ministry. Sirius narrowed his eyes at her and asked her why, but then Dumbledore shouted out for silence and was instantly obeyed.

The Headmaster and Chief Warlock spoke in a normal volume, but nevertheless, all present heard his words. "Aurors, kindly continue your investigation. I'm sure young Miss Knight will be able to answer your questions tomorrow, after this shock has worn off. Professors Flitwick and McGonagall will be able to tell you why we are all hear. Madame Umbridge," and here, Dumbledore addressed the toad witch with a stern eye, "I will be taking Miss Knight and Mr. Black back to Hogwarts and will be asserting temporary guardianship, as is standard for all students who are orphaned while attending my school. We will continue this conversation tomorrow, after the Aurors have all completed their investigation. Mr. Black, if you would be so kind as to maintain your hold on Miss Knight, I will return us to Hogwarts."

Sirius nodded, the Aurors scattered, and Umbridge looked ready to spit nails but remained silent. Sirius leaned down and grabbed Rory's backpack, making sure it was securely on his back before following the Headmaster.

Dumbledore was holding out a stick, and tapped it, making it glow bright blue. When he spoke, his voice was soft and kind, "Mr. Black, I have just made us a portkey to my office. Simply touch it, and kindly make sure Miss Knight is touching it as well, and we will be on our way." Sirius nodded and carefully placed one of Rory's hands on the stick, before grabbing it himself. Dumbledore then said "Activate" and Sirius felt himself hooked around the navel and pulled forward. As he landed in the Headmaster's office, he stumbled, only to be grabbed and steadied. Looking up, he saw that the other three Marauders were still there, waiting. They took one look at Rory and looked confused.

It was James who finally asked "Professor, what happened?" Dumbledore sighed, "I will tell you along the way, for now, we must get to the Hospital Wing."

As the small group walked along the now empty hallways, Dumbledore told them what happened, and it was a very subdued group that entered the Hospital Wing. Dumbledore had a quick and quiet word with Madam Pomfrey, and Sirius tried to lay Rory on a bed, only to find that she absolutely refused to let him go. Without a thought as to how this could get him in trouble, Sirius climbed onto the best, letting Rory curl up comfortably in his lap, keeping his arms securely around her, ignoring the questioning looks of his friends.

Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey came back over to the bed, the Nurse carrying a vial of potion. She pursed her lips and looked as though she wanted nothing more than to scold Sirius, but was refraining from doing so due to the events of the night. After some persuasion, Rory drank the potion, which turned out to be a Calming Draught. She sighed, looking up at Dumbledore with eyes that reflected a broken soul, and asked "They're dead, aren't they?"

Looking older than ever, Dumbledore nodded sadly, "I'm afraid they are, Aurora. I've managed to keep the Aurors from questioning you for now, but I won't be able to keep them at bay forever. I'll need your version of events, and now would be best. I'm sorry it can't wait."

Nodding, Rory took a breath, subconsciously pressing against Sirius' chest as she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Mum and Dad picked me up from the train station, and we talked all the way home. About classes, about my friends, full moons and so on. We got home, and had dinner. We had a tradition that we would open our presents on Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas Morning, and so we went into the living room and did that. We exchanged our gifts and talked for a while longer, and then I went upstairs to bed. I don't know how long it was, but there was a crash and some yelling from downstairs and it woke me up. I could smell my parents, but there was someone else there. He smelled…wild. Like he'd been living in a forest. Like dirt and sweat and blood. I was about to go downstairs and see what was going on when I smelled petrol, someone shouted 'Incendio', and then there was fire…It came so fast up the stairs…I ran into my parent's room, but they weren't in there, so I grabbed the floo powder and was about to firecall…but the door caught fire and I panicked, and screamed into the fire instead. I didn't think anyone heard me, and then you, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick came…I don't remember much after that."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. "I thought so. Tell me, Miss Knight, do you know the name Fenrir Greyback?" At Rory's mystified nod, she continued "He was sighted in the area shortly before your parents were killed. I have reason to believe that he was the perpetrator." He saw Rory's eyes widen slightly and answered her unasked question, "He was not caught, and so we do not know for certain why he targeted your parents. All we have are guesses."

Rory bit her lip and looked up, fear in her eyes. She didn't want to ask the next question, but knew she had to. She needed to know what to prepare for. "Professor…What's going to happen to me now?"

Dumbledore sighed again, "Well. Standard procedure when a student becomes orphaned during the school year is for the Head of that school, in this case me, to assume temporary guardianship until the parents last wishes are known…however, because of certain circumstances…" Here the headmaster trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

Rory picked up on this and said, "It's all right, Professor. Sirius, James and Peter know about Remus and me." She sighed "They'll be coming for me, soon then. Probably tomorrow."

Here Sirius spoke up, having remained silent until now, content to offer comfort where needed, "What? Who will be coming for you?"

Rory jumped slightly, for some reason she hadn't realized she was leaning against Sirius. Blushing furiously, she straightened up, breaking the contact between the two of them, albeit reluctantly, before answering, "The Ministry. I have no other living family, and Ministry Law says that an underage werewolf with no family to assume guardianship must become a ward of the Ministry. They'll be opposed to my attending Hogwarts, though."

James spoke up. "What will happen then? If you won't be in school…"

Rory looked up at her friend and smiled a bit sadly. She looked at Remus, who had paled dramatically, since he knew the laws as well as she did. She turned back to James and looked him in the eyes "I'll be escorted to the Department for the Control of Dangerous Creatures, and I'll likely be… destroyed. That's what tends to happen to underage werewolves, at least."

Predictably, both James and Sirius exploded at this news, with Sirius being the loudest, "What?!? They can't _do _that! What gives them the right?"

Rory smiled in spite of herself. She looked at her friends, the boys she was still so guarded around and shook her head. "There's nothing that can be done. It's the Law. I don't have any blood relatives left. If I did, then I wouldn't be in this situation."

At the words 'blood relatives', James for a strange look on his face and ran out of the Hospital Wing, leaving a number of bewildered people staring after him.

Rory sighed and went to lie down, before realizing that Sirius was still sitting there. She bit her lip, blushing slightly as Madam Pomfrey clucked "I'll let you boys stay here to support Miss Knight, as long as you are_ quiet_ and do not dare disturb Mr. Snape. Mr. Black, kindly remove yourself from the bed, so Miss Knight can get the rest she needs."

Blushing himself, Sirius climbed off the bed and sat in the chair closest to the bed. Rory smiled slightly and accepted another vial of potion from the Mediwitch. At her curious look, Madame Pomfrey replied "Its Dreamless Sleep Potion, dear. Drink up now." Nodding, Rory drank the vial and fell almost instantly asleep, leaving worried friends sitting up next to her bed, with James, unbeknownst to them, racing off to the Owlrey to send a very important letter.

When Rory woke the next day, she was aware that she was not alone. The Marauders were still there, and so was Madam Pomfrey. She opened her eyes and saw Severus looking at her curiously, since he knew she had left on the train. There was an older couple there as well, talking in low voices to Professor McGonagall and James. She sat up, blinking slowly and looking around. Before she could totally get her bearings, she found herself engulfed in a large mass of arms. Remus, Sirius and James, once he realized she was awake, had all run over and engulfed her in a massive group hug, with Peter standing off to the side, since he wasn't really the touchy feely type.

The older couple who were talking then stepped over, and James stood up. "Rory, these are my parents, Charlus and Miriam Potter. When you told us about the Ministry Laws last night, I went and wrote to them."

Rory looked curious and smiled at the older couple "Please to meet you. I'm not sure what James said, but I doubt there's anything that both of you can do about my situation, and I'm sorry you came all the way here just to be told that."

The elder Potters smiled, with Mrs. Potter sitting in an offered chair. She smiled gently at Rory before speaking "Well, as it happens, we can." She paused, drawing out the anticipation before speaking again. "How would you like to become a Potter?"


	10. Chapter 9

AN- I'm sure you're already figured out; this isn't exactly going to follow cannon. Some parts of it will, because they fit into where I'm going with it, but most of it is going to be different than what we know of the Marauders and Lily's time at school. I'm planning on this spanning their whole time in school, and up until that Halloween in '81. This MAY end up having some manipulative Dumbledore in it, fair warning. And please, review! I LOVE reviews!

Chapter Nine

Family Redux

Rory blinked rapidly for a few minutes as her brain struggled to process the very unorthodox and unexpected offer. Become a Potter? When she was finally able to make sense of the offer she found herself still confused.

"What do you mean, become a Potter? How is that even possible?"

Mrs. Potter cast a glance around, making sure there were no eavesdroppers outside their group, and seeing that Madam Pomfrey has already released Snape from the Wing, before nodding to her husband to speak.

"Well, Aurora," Mr. Potter began, "Each family that has magic in it has family spells, a grimoire of things that can only be used by members of that Family. It is mostly done by Purebloods; however a Muggleborn who marries a witch or wizard may start their own, if they are proficient in Arithmancy. You, yourself, have a Family Grimoire that was recovered from your parent's home, and is being kept in their vault at Gringotts for you to claim when you come of age. Do you understand so far?"

Rory nodded. Her parents had, of course, told her about Family Magic, but she knew she wouldn't have been allowed to look at the book until she was of age anyway. She was happy to hear it had been salvaged after the fire. Seeing her understanding, Mr. Potter continued.

"In the Potter Family Grimoire, there is a blood adoption rite. This was done fairly often when one of the allies of the Potter Family would need to bring in a young orphaned witch or wizard in order to keep them from being sold. It used to be that a Family could simply bring in members as Protectorates, but that law was repealed, making it necessary to make them blood relations. You would be recognized as an official, blood relation of the Potters, and you would still be recognized as your parent's heir, so that their estate would not be confiscated by the Ministry."

Rory felt her eyes widen. A Blood Adoption? She had only heard whisperings of such things, and knew they were never done anymore. After swallowing with great difficulty, she asked, "Why would you do this for me? This is the first time we've ever met, and not to be rude, but you don't know me at all and now you're offering to bring me into your Family? Why?"

Mrs. Potter smiled gently, "You're a young woman who stands a great chance of being killed within the next few days. We are well aware of your condition, and James assures us that you have total control over it, which I will admit intrigues us greatly. You are a friend of our son, and when he owled us last evening we could tell how distraught he was. And, honestly…" here she paused, trying to find the right words to continue. "My husband and I are getting on in years. We will be unable to have another child, even though we always wanted one, a daughter especially. We love James more than life, but it had always been our intention to have more than one child, and now we have that chance. I understand that you want time to think about this, but my husband heard whisperings at the Ministry when he was there earlier. Madame Umbridge is bringing a contingent of Aurors here at some point today, and I am afraid that we simply do not have the luxury of allowing you to think for very long, though I believe we can afford a few minutes."

Mrs. Potter gently led her husband away, leaving Rory on the bed, biting her lower lip in thought. Here was a chance to avoid being executed by the Ministry of Magic, simply for being what she was. She knew her parents would have wanted her to jump at the chance, given the only alternative available was death, and so there was very little to think about, really. She looked at James, her silver eyes seeming to penetrate into his soul, demanding nothing but the complete and total truth as she asked "Would you be okay with this? With a Blood Adoption, with me being your sister, with having to share your parents this way after being an only child for so long?"

James didn't even have to hesitate, "Of course! I mean, the other alternative is you dying, but honestly, I look at you a bit like a little sister already, even if you're only a couple of months younger than me."

Rory nodded, smiling a little, feeling some of the weight she'd carried on her since the previous evening lifting already. "All right then." She raised her voice slightly, so that the adult Potter's could hear her, "I'll do it."

Mr. and Mrs. Potter both smiled widely, seemingly thrilled with the answer, "Excellent, we must work quickly, before that vile woman gets here." Mrs. Potter stated, handing out a vial full of a thick, dark and smoky looking purple potion. It was almost iridescent in appearance, and rather pretty looking. Mrs. Potter explained quickly, "Charlus and I have already added three drops of each of our blood, all you need to prick your finger and let precisely three drops of your blood fall into the potion. It should change color after that, and you'll need to drink it right away. Your looks might not be affected, but it is likely that there will be some pain as your blood and magic acclimates."

Rory nodded, and accepted a needle from Madam Pomfrey. She pricked the tip of her finger as instructed and let three drops fall into the potion. The color immediately changed from the smoky purple color to silver. With no hesitation, Rory tipped the vial back and drank the potion in one swallow. She handed the empty vial to Mrs. Potter and gasped as a burning sensation started in her bones. She bit her lip to keep from crying out and drew her knees up to her chest. She felt someone sit on the bed and looks up, only to see James sitting next to her, with an arm around her shoulders. After a few deep breaths, the pain slowly abated, and Rory stretched. She noticed her hair seemed longer and slightly messier than before, and was handed a mirror. She was happy to see her eye color were still the same, although the shape was different, wider somehow and almond shaped and she inherited Mr. Potter's messy hair. Aside of that, she looked the same, which was a relief to her.

Mr. Potter smiled slightly and said, "Welcome to the Family, Aurora Potter-Knight," as he signed a few forms and duplicated them. As soon as he was finished the Hospital Wing Doors opened and in walked the toad witch, Madame Umbridge, from the night before, followed by 7 Aurors and Professor Dumbledore bringing up the rear, looking older than ever, looking as though he had just lost an argument. Upon seeing the Potters, he looked surprised, as did Umbridge, though she got over it quickly and proceeded to speak in a sugary sweet voice that immediately made Rory's skin crawl.

"Hem hem. Aurora Knight. Due to the death of your parents, your only living blood relatives, it has been decreed that, in accordance to the Underage Creature Act of 1966, Article 7, Section 4, Subsection 354, You are to be made a ward of the Ministry of Magic, effective immediately, with myself being your primary guardian as stated by said Act. Under the parameters of previously mentioned Act, it is decreed that you will be withdrawn from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, effective immediately, and you will accompany me to the Department for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, where you will be sanitized under Article 9, Section 7, Subsection 40. Stand immediately and surrender your wand for snapping."

Rory fought with herself to keep from leaping off the bed and bolting out of the doors after wiping the smug, self important smile off Umbridge's face. Luckily, she didn't have to resist the impulse for long, as Mr. Potter cleared his throat and faced the group of people, standing to his full, not inconsiderable, height, and stated in a clear, authoritative voice, "Madame Umbridge, before you take this young lady away, I believe you need to see these forms."

Mr. Potter handed a pile of parchment to Umbridge, a duplicate of the forms he had just finished signing. Rory watched with bated breath as Umbridge read them, and Mr. Potter handed another duplicate set to Professor Dumbledore, who read them through as well.

Umbridge scowled as she finished reading through them "Mr. Potter, as head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, you are well aware the Protectorate Act was repealed decades ago and as such…"

She was cut off quickly "Madame, if you read those papers, you will see that this has nothing to do with the repealed Protectorate Act, she is a Potter by Blood, and as such, you have no authority to remove her from Hogwarts."

Umbridge narrowed her eyes, glowering at Mr. Potter, "And how did you accomplish this?

Mr. Potter raised an eyebrow imperiously and said, in a voice of deadly calm, "I fail to see how my _Family Magic_ is of any business of yours, Madame Umbridge."

At the words "Family magic", Umbridge paled slightly. According to Laws far older than she, she was forbidden in interfering in any way with a rite, spell, or ritual that was part of someone's Family Magic. She was forbidden from even asking. More importantly, she thought with a scowl, she was forbidden from removing the werewolf abomination from Hogwarts and having it killed, which also denied the Ministry the ability to confiscate the rather significant fortune and heirlooms that the Knight Family possessed.

Regaining control of her rapidly rising temper, Umbridge forced a sweet smile on her face and said, "Of course it isn't, however you are claiming this…child…is a blood relation, and I will need proof of that. Now, if you would be so kind, Professor Dumbledore, as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, you have the authority to cast the spell to determine if they are blood relation. Could you do so, so that we can get this silliness over with and I can remove this beast from Hogwarts?"

Dumbledore, who had remained silent all this time, stepped forward. He did not look happy at this turn of events. Indeed, as he read through the parchment Mr. Potter had given him, he scowled deeply. However, he quickly marshaled his face into its normal grandfatherly expression and drew his wand, casting the spell at Rory, who was surrounded by a silver light. As were the rest of the Potters, and they were all connected by bands of the same silvery light, indicating they were all, in fact, blood related. _Interesting, _Dumbledore thought, _I'll have to think about what this means later, when I am alone._ He turned to Umbridge and smiled, saying "Dolores, as you can see, the spell clearly indicates blood relation, and so I cannot allow you to remove Miss Knight from Hogwarts."

Predictably, this statement did not go over well with the woman. Indeed, she glared hatefully at Rory before stating, in a tone of icy rage "We shall see. I will be lobbying to get this...farce of an adoption overturned. Good Day." Beckoning to the Aurors, she stormed from the Hospital Wing.

As soon as the doors closed behind the last Aurors, Rory fell back against the bed, shaking slightly from fear and relief. Relief that she hadn't been taken away, and fear that Umbridge would manage to get the Blood Adoption overturned. It was silent for a few moments, before Sirius spoke, asking "Why was that woman, Umbridge, so angry? Who is she?"

It was Remus who answered. He was, after all, as acquainted with that department as she was. "That was Dolores Umbridge, Head of the Department for the Control of Dangerous Creatures, which works closely, almost hand in hand, with the Department for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. She's lobbied to have the laws concerning werewolves, merpeople, vampires, goblins, elves, and anything else that isn't completely human tightened so that we have almost no rights whatsoever. She's very well known for wanting to eradicate anything that isn't a pureblood, completely human, witch or wizard from the wizarding world. She took over the Department about five years ago or so, and is encountering resistance to some of her more…extreme laws. However, the Act that she mentioned was one of the things she managed to pass. There used to be a clause in it that demanded the immediate execution of any underage 'magical creature' that wasn't born that way, such as werewolves and vampires, whether they were orphaned or not, but the Wizengamot forced her to remove it."

Peter spoke up now, having remained silent for the entire time, "So this woman, she hates anyone that isn't human and that's why she was so mad that she wouldn't be able to take Rory away to the Ministry?"

Rory nodded, "Yes. Also, under the Act, if I were...sanitized, as she put it…her Department would be able to confiscate everything that belonged to my Family. The Knight wealth is…considerable. I don't know what the exact numbers are, but Family Heirlooms, even the Family Grimoire, would become property of that Department, with the Department Head, Umbridge, being able to decide whether or not the heirlooms were to be donated to the Ministry, distributed to other Pureblood Families, or kept just for use in that Department. The Family Grimoire would become public, since there would be no more Family left, and the Ministry would be able to deem any part of it Dark Magic, which they can't do as long as it is sealed." At Peter's confused look, she elaborated, "The Ministry is unable to classify any part of any Family Grimoire as Dark or Light. It exists outside the spectrum and simply cannot be made illegal. The only exception is when a spell is illegal and someone tries to add it to their Family Grimoire. Magic itself won't allow them to do so, and magic won't accept a law that makes a spell or ritual or rite illegal if it exists in an existing Family Grimoire."

Mr. Potter nodded, "That's right. And don't worry about her being able to overturn anything. The Minister, Millicent Bagnold, is a good friend of ours and won't allow Umbridge to do anything. I'll head to the Ministry now, just to be certain. Over the Summer Holidays, we'll talk more about what all this means." He turned to Dumbledore "She is now Aurora Potter-Knight, officially. Kindly update the records to reflect that, but we'll leave it to her as to whether she wants to be called that, or continue being referred to as only Knight." Nodding to everyone, and kissing Mrs. Potter on the cheek, he left.

Dumbledore spoke "I'll need to go and update the school records. Until we are told otherwise, I'll instruct the staff to continue to address Aurora as Miss Knight." He quickly left the Hospital Wing.

Rory sighed, thinking about everything that had just happened. She turned to Mrs. Potter and asked "Has there been any word on what exactly happened to my parents?"

Mrs. Potter nodded "They caught one of the neighbors, the one who had reported Greyback in the area, and he told them. Apparently, he showed up, demanding that you be turned over to those who were "like minded", meaning werewolves, I assume, so that you could teach them the control that you had. When your parents refused and hexed him to leave, he attacked them before setting the house ablaze. We can only assume he was intending for you to perish as well, since it was unlikely you would deign to teach him and his pack when he had just done something so unforgivable."

Rory sighed; she had thought it was that. It didn't make it any easier, but at least now she knew. When she spoke again, her voice was barely above a whisper, "Can you tell whoever has their bodies…they wanted to be cremated and have their ashes scattered over Stonehenge? It's where they met, and where my father proposed."

Mrs. Potter smiled gently, "Of course dear. I'll send a message to Charlus at the Ministry." After patting Rory on the shoulder lightly and hugging James quickly, she left. There was an awkward silence that followed, before Madame Pomfrey came over and announced that Rory was able to leave, which she very quickly did. The group made their way back to the Gryffindor Common Room. In an effort to break the silence, Rory asked "What was Severus doing in the Hospital Wing?" The Marauders immediately looked a bit uncomfortable, and so she stopped and put her hands on her hips, glaring at the four boys suspiciously. It was, again, James who, in the hopes that she wouldn't hex her new brother, told her what happened.

"We pranked Snive—Severus." He quickly corrected himself, knowing that the quickest way to get Rory angrier than she was already going to be was to use that nickname. He continued, "We set off some Filibusters near the top of the stairs, we just wanted to scare him, but he fell down the stairs. That's why he was in the Hospital Wing."

The Marauders stood very still, almost as if they were afraid to move. They all knew that Rory _hated_ the pranks they played on Severus, since they were often cruel and done only because he was in Slytherin. Rory sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, before silently walking to the Common Room and giving the password to get in. The boys, thinking they'd gotten off light, scurried to follow her. As soon as the Fat Lady closed, Rory whipped out her wand and hexed all four boys with a speed none of them could match. Sirius was sporting Green and Silver hair and a snake tattoo on his face, Remus resembled a human bunny rabbit, Peter has spouted boils and James had 'I 3 Slytherins" on his face, and would, though he didn't know it yet, spout complimentary things instead of insults when he was talking about Slytherin.

Rory smirked evilly at the Marauders and said "These hexes will last 48 hours. And don't even _think_ of hiding out in the Tower until they wear off, whenever mealtimes happen, all four of you will be compelled to walk into the Great Hall to eat. Maybe next time you'll think before you prank someone who doesn't deserve it." Tossing her hair over her shoulder, Rory picked up her bag and walked over to sit with Lily, who has seen and heard what happened and was now holding her side in laughter.

Smiling at her dorm mate, Rory sat down on the couch, rummaging through her back, her eyes filling with tears when she saw the presents her parents had given her the night before. She sighed, slipping on the rings and holding the necklace in her hand. Lily noticed the tears in her friend's eyes and asking, "What's wrong? How come you're here, I thought you went back home for the Holiday?"

Knowing she couldn't tell Lily the whole truth without revealing her secret, she simply stated, "My parents were killed last night. Someone broke in, attacked them and then set the house on fire." Lily gasped in shock before reaching over and hugging Rory tightly. "I'm sorry, Rory. If you need to talk, I'm here, okay?" Rory smiled gratefully at Lily, "Thanks. I'll probably take you up on that. These" She gestured to the rings and necklace, "were the Christmas Presents I got from them. We always opened out gifts on Christmas Eve…" She trailed off, unable to hold back the tears anymore and bit her lip, fighting to keep from sobbing. Her parents wouldn't want her to mourn this way, but every time she thought of them, it was as though a hot knife were being stabbed into her heart. Lily didn't say anything, just hugged her friend tighter, casting an impatient look at the Marauders, who were still by the portrait hole, trying to reverse the hexes Rory put on them.

A small sob escaped Rory's lips before she could stop it, causing them all to stop what they were doing and look up. Seeing Lily hugging Rory, they knew that she had started crying again. None of them could blame her really, she had just lost her parents and had been prepared to be killed herself until not long ago, any one of them would be upset as well. Sirius made it to her first. Being only eleven (Well, nearly twelve), he didn't understand the feelings he was starting to have for his friend. He thought it was only him being a good friend, and left it at that. He sat on her other side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her along with Lily. Remus and James climbed behind her and joined the group hug, while Peter sat in front of her and held her hand. He was never really comfortable with hugs and such, since his parents weren't the hugging type.

After what seemed to be an hour, Rory straightened, wiping her eyes roughly. She smiled gratefully at her friends. "I'm fine now, really. I'll be okay. Thanks." They all nodded and separated. Lily went upstairs to put her books away and Peter, James and Remus went back to trying to undo her hexes. Sirius made to stand and join them, after squeezing Rory's shoulder one more time, but as he stood, she grabbed his arm gently, turning him to face her. She spoke softly, so that she couldn't be overheard and looked Sirius right in the eyes as she spoke, even though she was blushing.

"Siri…I…Uhm…Thank you. For last night, I mean. Thank you for being there for me when I found them, for taking me out of there and for…well…in the Hospital Wing…" She blushed deeper as she trailed off before clearing her throat and finishing, "Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you. I really appreciate you being there for me."

Sirius smiled, a little embarrassed as he remembered how he had held her close and comforted her, and how… how _right_ she had felt when she was nestled against his chest in the Hospital Wing. "You're welcome, really. It was nothing, you're my friend, one of my best friends, and I knew you needed help."

Rory tilted her head to one side, confused. "How did you know?"

Sirius looks uncomfortable, "We were in the Head's office, getting yelled at for the prank we played."

Rory nodded. "Oh. I see." She smirked, picking up her backpack and heading to the stairs for the Girl's Dorm, "I meant it you know, you won't be able to hide in here. And none of you will be able to take those hexes off." She smiled sweetly and waved. "See you at Lunch, boys."

She skipped up the stairs to her dorm and smiled at Lily before grabbing her favorite black robe and towels and heading into the shower, where she proceeded to scrub herself raw, trying to get rid of the lingering smell of smoke and fire. After a while she turned off the water and dried herself off before dressing. Since it was the Holiday, she didn't need to wear robes and dressed instead on jeans with a hole in the knee and a green sweater. Blinking, she remembered what day it was and, as she brushed her hair, turned to Lily, "I forgot, what with everything that went on… Happy Christmas, Lily."

Lily smiled, "Thanks, Rory…I'd say the same, but…" Rory nodded, understanding. She put on her new earrings and fastened the necklace around her neck. It had a little locket in there that had a scent pad in it. Her mother had put some of her favorite perfume on it, which made Rory smile, happy and sad about it at the same time.

Lily spoke again, this time hesitantly, as if not sure whether she was overstepping any boundaries or not. "Where…uhm…where are you going to stay now?"

Knowing she couldn't tell about the Blood Adoption, and that Severus had likely seen Mr. and Mrs. Potter earlier before he was released from the Hospital Wing, Rory decided on telling a part of the truth and smiled as she answered. "James owled his parents last night. He knew I didn't have any other relatives, and so asked his parents if I could stay with them, so I wouldn't become a ward of the Ministry. They were here when I woke up this morning to talk to me about it. So, I'm staying with them."

Lily looked surprised. "James did that? Wow… I mean, he always seemed a bit…"

"Arrogant?"

Lily laughed, "Yeah. Arrogant."

Rory shrugged, "He has his moments, yeah, and he can be a bit of a jerk sometimes. But really, he's not that bad." She laughed when Lily looked skeptical, "I know. I know you don't like him because of how he treats Severus. I get mad at him when he does that too, I mean, you saw what I did to them downstairs." Lily snickered at the memory, nodding. "And I'm not asking you to be nice to him or try and be his friend or anything. I'm just saying, he's not that bad." Lily nodded after a minute.

Rory smirked, "Come on, its lunchtime."

Laughing, the two girls made it downstairs in time to see the Marauders trying to fight the compulsion to go to lunch. Snickering quietly, they watched as the boys gave up, eventually walking out of the portrait hole, with the girls following, Lily still laughing and Rory smiling smugly.

They met Severus as he was coming up from the dungeons. He stopped dead, staring at the Marauders incredulously and then back at Lily and Rory. Upon seeing the smirk on Rory's face, comprehension dawned on his and he snickered. James glared at Severus and opened his mouth, no doubt to insult him, but what came out instead was "Hi, Severus. You know, I wish I was in Slytherin, it really is the better House." This caused Lily, Rory, and Severus all to collapse laughing.

At the moment, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and the other Heads of House all walked by. They heard what James said and McGonagall raised her eyebrows at Rory, who was laughing hardest and trying to plaster a look of innocence on her face at the same time. Gesturing the students and other Heads into the Great Hall, McGonagall and Dumbledore stayed behind. McGonagall still has her eyebrows raised, and Rory knew she wanted an explanation.

Wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, Rory obliged. "Sorry, Professors. See, James and the others told me about the prank they played on Severus, since I asked why he was in the Hospital Wing this morning." The professors both nodded, looks of comprehension on their faces, and she continued, "The hexes will wear off in two days. I felt that they needed to be taught a bit of a lesson. I mean, detentions are over when they're done, and House Points can be earned back. But hopefully his will stick with them."

Looking as though she were trying not to laugh, McGonagall spoke "Be that as it may, Miss Knight, please do not hex your Housemates in the future, is that clear?"

Rory smiled. "Yes ma'am." At the Professors gesture, she hurried into the Great Hall, where Severus and Lily were sitting at the empty Ravenclaw table. Smirking at the Marauders, and snickering when they glared at her, she sat with the two.

"Hi, Severus. Feeling better?"

Trying not to burst out laughing again, he said, "Yes. Did you hex them?" At Rory's nod, Severus smirked, "Good. I looked at the points jars earlier, and talked to Professor Slughorn, and they didn't even get detention or anything. I'm glad they at least got _something_ done, even if it wasn't by a teacher."

Rory bit her lip, looking a little sheepish as Lily made shushing motions at him, causing him to look confused. Knowing it would be in the Daily Prophet the next day anyway, Rory sighed. "That's probably my fault, Severus." At his confused look, she continued, "Last night, someone broke into my parent's house and killed them, then set the house on fire. I panicked and floo called the Headmaster. I found out later it was while he was lecturing them on what they did. I probably interrupted him before he got to their punishment."

Severus gasped when she talked about what happened, "Oh, Merlin, Rory, I'm sorry. I had no idea."

Rory smiled slightly, "It's okay. But, on the bright side, those hexes will last for two days. But only James can't insult you." Severus smiled again and cast a rather mischievous look over at the Marauders, who glared at her again when they realized she must have told Severus about the hexes.

Rory smiled to herself, winking at the Marauders and sticking her tongue out at them. Her parents were dead, and Greyback was still out there. A Ministry worker wanted her dead and would try her damndest to make it so. But, she had friends, and people who cared about her and were willing to help. As bad as things were, they were definitely going to get better.


	11. Chapter 1o

Chapter Ten

Jealousy and Betrayal

The rest of the Holiday passed pretty much without incident. Severus trailed the Marauders around for the better part of a day, until James finally just ignored him. Sirius had spoken up once to try and insult the Slytherin in James' place, only to be hexed for his trouble.

After 48 hours, the hexes wore off with no complications and the Marauders steered clear of Severus for the rest of the Holiday, not at all eager to be hexed like that again.

As Rory had predicted, the same day the hexes wore off, news of her parent's being killed appeared in the Daily Prophet. Rory and the marauders all scoured the article, looking for any mention or even implication of her trouble with Dolores Umbridge, but found none. Aside of mentioning that she survived the fire with no injuries, the only other mention was that she had been adopted into the Potter Family. There wasn't even mention of Fenrir Greyback being sighted in the area and believed to be responsible for the deaths and fire. As elated as she was to not have had news of her condition to be plastered across the front page of the Prophet, she knew in her gut that this was not the last of it. The look on Umbridge's face as she left the Hospital Wing that day told her that.

Setting the paper off to one side, Rory sighed. School was back in session starting the next day, so at least she would have classes to distract her. She had requested the teachers continue to refer to her as Rory Knight, and they had all cheerfully agreed. She smiled at the Marauders before standing and stretching. "I'm going to take a walk outside for a while."

She waved and went to grab her jacket from the Dorm. There wasn't much snow on the ground, so she kept her trainers on instead of boots and walked down to the Lake. It was cold out, but not bitterly, and she turned her face towards the breeze that was coming in off the water, allowing herself to simply be at peace for a while. She allowed her guard down ever so slightly in those moments of solitude and simply stood there, at the edge of the frozen lake. She heard someone cautiously approaching and turned, smiling slightly at Severus when she saw him.

He stopped next to her, obviously nervous about something. Rory tilted her head looked at him curiously, but silently waited for him to speak.

He sighed, sadly almost. "Is it true? What the Prophet said, about you being adopted into Potter's Family?"

She heard the tension in his voice and thought she understood the reason behind it. "Yes. I had no other living relatives, and was going to be made a ward of the Ministry. James wrote to his parents and this is the alternative that we all agreed upon. Why?"

Severus looked at the ground before barely whispering, "Well, that means he's your brother now, right?"

Rory frowned slightly, her brow furrowed as she nodded, unsure of where the Slytherin was going with this line of thought.

"Does that mean you're going to act like he does towards me?"

Ah, so that was it. Rory raised an eyebrow, a little offended by the question, even though she understood, at least a little. "No, Severus. James bullies you, and I won't do that. Frankly, I'm a little offended that you thought so. Just because he's my brother now, doesn't mean I have to agree with everything he does. If you did something to him, maybe, but you haven't. He acts the way he does solely because you are a Slytherin, and that is not a good enough reason. So no, Severus, just because James and I are related now, doesn't mean I'm going to turn on you."

Severus smiled a little, looking relieved. "Lily told me the same thing, and I didn't mean to offend you…it's just…well… they say blood runs thicker than water, you know?"

Rory simply nodded, and the two fell into a comfortable silence. After a few minutes, Severus spoke again. "So, how are you holding up, with everything?"

She thought for a minute or two before answering, pulling her jacket tighter around her as she did so, "As well as can be expected, I suppose. I'll always miss them, you know, but I know they wouldn't want me to fall apart at the seams. The best thing I can do to honor their memory is to keep going, even if it's hard sometimes. The greatest thing I can do is to live, to grow and to keep the lessons they managed to teach me close. If I do that, they'll never really be gone."

Severus nodded in understanding, since what Rory said made sense. The two sat in silence for a while longer; making small talk, until the cold finally drove them inside. As they walked back to the castle, neither of them noticed the eyes of Sirius following them from a window in the Gryffindor Common Room, a frown on his face.

James noticed though, and followed his gaze before rolling his own eyes, "Come on, mate. There's no sense in sitting here watching them. You know she's friends with Snivellous, and I don't really want to be hexed again by her."

Sirius just frowned deeper. He looked almost jealous, and he still didn't understand why. "I know, James, it's just…He's a Slytherin! The whole lot of them are Dark, and I don't want to see Rory get hurt."

James raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms loosely and looking at Sirius for a minute before shrugging and walking away, saying, "All right then, but don't say I didn't warn you when she gets mad at you." Sirius sighed, moving away from the window after casting another dark glare at the pair walking towards the castle. He sat with his friends and talked a little, engaging in meaningless small talk and planning pranks.

A little while later, after saying goodbye to Severus, Rory decided she didn't want to head back to the Tower just yet, and so went to the Library, perusing the shelves and picking up a book on Alchemy that seemed interesting. After checking it out with the Librarian, Madam Pince, she finally made her way back to the Common Room, reading as she walked. In a short amount of time, she found herself in front of the Portrait. She gave the password and closed her book after marking her place, while climbing inside. She saw the Marauders sitting at their usual table and made her way over, greeting them cheerfully and being greeted in return. By all of them except Sirius, who glared at her and said nothing.

Feeling a little confused, she sat next to James, looking at him curiously. He only shook his head and shrugged, sighing. Shrugging, she sat back and listened. Every few minutes she'd try and talk to Sirius, only to be blanked and glared at every attempt.

Finally, she had enough and stood, "I don't know what the hell your problem is, Black, but I've had enough of it! I haven't done anything to you, so why are you giving me the cold shoulder?"

Sirius, stood as well, anger blazing in his eyes as he stalked around the table and stood in front of her, almost nose to nose, which caused James to stand up warily was well, along with Remus. Peter's eyes darted nervously between them.

"I saw you walking back from the Lake with Snivellous, talking and laughing with that greasy, slimy snake! What is he, your boyfriend or something? I should have known _you_ would go for someone Dark!"

As soon as he said it, James and Remus both gasped. Never had any of them alluded to her being a 'Dark Creature' with so-called 'Dark Tendencies'. Until now, that is. Rory paled dramatically, and quickly looked around, noting, with relief, that the Common Room was empty of anyone aside of them. Turning back to Sirius, she glared at him, using anger to mask the stinging hurt his words caused "First of all, _Severus_ is not my boyfriend. He is my _friend_, Slytherin or otherwise. Also, all Slytherins aren't Dark, Black, or have you conveniently forgotten your dear cousin Bellatrix, in Ravenclaw?" She never threw Sirius' Family in his face, knowing it was an extremely sore spot with him, but his words had been out of line, and she went for the jugular. Bellatrix was a fifth year, in Ravenclaw, and let it be well known that she was a pureblood supremist, and as Dark as they came.

Replaying the rest of Sirius' sentence in her head, she remembered him saying that he should have known _she_ would go for someone Dark. She had never thought her friend, one of her best friends, the person who lifted her and held her when she saw her parent's bodies, which had refused to leave her side during that entire ordeal, even when she was asleep, would carry the same prejudices as those who attacked her before she started Hogwarts. She didn't even have words to describe the anger and bitter hate she was feeling at that point, and so she didn't even try, she simply did the next best thing.

She reached up and slapped him across the face. The force of her blow sent him staggering backwards, causing him to fall on his arse as she advanced on him, her face pale in anger, eyes practically glowing with it. James stepped forward to grab her arm, only to be shrugged off. Rory opened her mouth to yell at Sirius, to scream at him, to rage…only to close it again with a snap, shake her head and storm up the stairs to her Dorm, taking care to slam the door behind her. Once in the safety of her dorm, Rory threw herself on her bed, burying her face against the pillow and crying in anger. How could he have said that to her? She had thought they were friends, and he all but accused her of being Dark herself. Helplessly she sobbed into her pillow, hot tears of betrayal soaking it quickly.

Downstairs, James rounded on Sirius, anger in his own eyes. "How could you say that to her? Why would you say those things to her, Sirius? She's our friend, _MY Sister, _and you practically accused her of being Dark herself? _Why_?"

Wincing at the tone in James' voice, as well as from the stinging left over on his cheek from where he had been slapped, Sirius climbed to his feet. He sighed "I told you, Slytherins are all Dark, all of them, and he's going to hurt her if she keeps hanging around with him."

Remus spoke, his anger apparent only in his words, "Did you not think, Sirius, that by accusing her of being Dark, that _you_ were in fact the one hurting her?"

Sirius fidgeted slightly. He didn't know _why_, but he always felt this pang of jealousy whenever he saw Rory and Snape together. He sighed, his shoulders dropping dejectedly. "She's really mad at me this time, isn't she?"

James crossed her arms, glaring at his friend, "Oh, gee, How ever did you figure that out?" he said sarcastically. "I would suggest you apologize to her, _and mean it, _as soon as you see her next."

Sirius only nodded before walking slowly up the stairs to the boy's dorm. He had a lot of thinking to do about why he was feeling this way.

After a little while, Rory sat up, wiping her eyes furiously. She was so angry and upset she was still shaking. Climbing off her bed, she went into the bathroom, washing her face quickly. Looking at her watch, she saw that it was nearly dinner time, but she wasn't feeling very hungry.

Because of her massive amount of control over her abilities, her sense of smell was also heightened, making it amazingly easy to discern the moods of others. She knew she had a bit of a crush on Sirius, and could tell he had one on her as well, but couldn't understand how he could have said such hurtful things to her if he liked her. _Boys,_ She though ruefully, _stupid boys. At least I didn't let my guard down this time. I'd probably be hurting even more if I had. _Walking back into the dorm, she let herself fall backwards onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She knew Lily would be coming in, and the students that had left for Holiday would be arriving tonight and so the Dorm would be full again, but she couldn't muster the energy to care.

As the Great Hall filled up, the Marauders looked around for Rory, but didn't see her. Glaring at Sirius, they all sat down together as usual, keeping an eye on the door. Lily came in and waved at Severus, who was seated at the Slytherin table, before sitting down next the Mary and Alice, the other Gryffindor first years. James, knowing Lily would likely glare at him and nearly hex him, stood and approached her. Lily saw him coming and narrowed her eyes warily at him. He swallowed, but continued approaching her anyway. He looked around quickly and crouched next to her, asking quietly, his tone concerned, "Did you happen to see Rory before you came down here?"

Lily blinked in surprise and shook her head "No, Potter. I didn't. I was in the Library and came right here; I didn't go up to the Tower before dinner. Why, is she ok?"

James sighed, "Sirius and she had a fight, and I was bad. She's pretty upset. He knows he was out of line, and wants to apologize, but she ran up to the Dorm and we can't go up there, you know. If she's awake when you make it back up there, Evans, can you ask her to come down to the Common Room?"

Lily nodded, "Sure, Potter." James nodded his thanks and walked back to his friends, none of them noticing Severus watching with a rather sour look on his face before turning back to talk to the Slytherin Prefect, Lucius Malfoy.

Dinner was uneventful, and with full stomachs, all the students made their way back to their Dorms, chattering about classes resuming the next day. Rory was still on her bed, but she had sat up, and assumed a meditation pose, hoping the techniques she used for controlling her lycanthropy would also help her calm down.

She fell into her meditative state rather quickly, and remained, unmoving, until she heard people climbing the stairs. Opening her eyes, she realized dinner must have finished and stretched. As hoped, clearing her mind and meditating had calmed her down and helped her work through what she was feeling and view the situation objectively.

She understood that, for whatever reason, Sirius was feeling jealous when she spent time with Severus, but she was not going to let him off the hook and forgive him. Jealous or otherwise, the words he said were hurtful and out of line, and she couldn't forgive that.

Rory looked up as her Dorm mates entered, saying hello. Lily came over to her and quietly told her that James had asked her to come downstairs. Rory nodded and stood, steeling herself against what was sure to be an uncomfortable encounter, at best. She squared her shoulders and walked down the stairs, clearing her throat when she reached the bottom to gain the attention of the Marauders, who were alone in the Common Room.

She smiled at James, Remus and Peter to let them know she wasn't angry with them, and regarded Sirius coldly. Addressing her brother, she said "Lily said you wanted to talk to me?"

James nodded and then paused, "Actually… Sirius has something to say."

Rory crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, raising an eyebrow expectantly. Sirius stepped forward, his eyes on the floor. She could tell he was feeling horrible, and nervous. After a few moments of silence, with her staring unblinking at him, he raised his eyes to hers and spoke. She could hear the sincerity and sadness in his voice, and that didn't make it any easier.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said any of those things to you, I didn't even mean them…I…I don't know why I said them. I just, I felt so jealous when I saw you and…Snape…walking back from the castle, and…I'm sorry. Please forgive me, I didn't mean to hurt you."

Towards the end of his apology, Sirius' voice broke slightly, and she knew he was really sorry. She sighed, not looking at him, and when she spoke her voice was expressionless, almost cold.

"My mother once told me that words spoken in anger or in drunkenness are often the most honest. That Anger and Alcohol are the two great truth tellers of humanity. I accept your apology, Black. And I forgive you. But we can't be friends again. I'm sorry."

Before any of the boys could say anything to her, she turned quickly, walking up the stairs to her Dorm. Without saying anything to her Dorm mates, she changed into pajamas, climbed into bed and closed the curtains around her.

Curling up on her side, Rory closed her eyes, hoping tomorrow would be better.


	12. Chapter 11

AN-Ok, for the record, here are the ages of everyone at this point in the story, because it's kind of relevant.

Rory Potter-Knight, 12, October 17, 1960.  
James Potter- 12, September 2nd, 1960.  
Sirius Black- 12, September 19th, 1960.  
Remus Lupin, 11, August 8th, 1961.  
Peter Pettigrew, 11, June 6th, 1961  
Lily Evans, 11, May 5th, 1961  
Severus Snape, 11, April 21st, 1961.

So, obviously they're around the age where hormones and such hit.

Chapter Eleven

The Department for the Control of Magical Creatures

The next day wasn't any better. Neither were the next few weeks after that. The other Marauders understood why Rory didn't want to be around Sirius very much, but as a result, she wasn't around them very much either. Word spread through Gryffindor Tower about the fight she and Sirius had, since a gossipy third year overheard Rory filling Lily in and spread it around. From Gryffindor, it spread to the other Houses. Severus came up to apologize for causing trouble between her and her friend, and Rory told him sternly that it wasn't his fault in any way. Unfortunately, Rory's comment about Bellatrix had spread as well, and she found herself encountering the Dark Ravenclaw in places she had never seen her before. The Witch hadn't _done_ anything to her, but she knew it was only a matter of time.

Before she knew it, the first Full Moon of the New Year was upon her. The Professors had noticed Bellatrix following her, and had heard the rumors, even though they didn't comment on them, and so Professor Flitwick had a Prefect keep tabs on her and keep her in their Common Room.

Over the last few weeks, there had been attacks as well, similar to the ones on the Elder Knights. The _Daily Prophet_ was printing that it was the work of someone calling himself Lord Voldemort, a Dark Wizard dedicated to wiping out anything not a pureblood. There were rumors that he was recruiting the werewolves, led by Greyback, to do his dirty work for him and his followers, called 'Death Eaters'. This, of course, sparked a response from Dolores Umbridge, who issued a statement to the _Prophet_ stating that she was dedicated to removing these 'Dangerous Beasts' from wizarding society for good, no matter who they were. That statement sent shivers down Rory's spine. She knew it was directed at her.

Sirius tried to approach her before she left for the Shrieking Shack, but she simply avoided his eyes and stepped around him, meeting Remus in the Entrance Hall. Together, they quickly and silently made their way across the grounds to the Whomping Willow and slipped into the tunnel. They made it to the Shack with plenty of time to spare before the Full Moon and so sat down, talking amicably.

Eventually, and inevitably, talk turned to Sirius.

"Rory…Do you think you could try and be Sirius' friend again? He's been so depressed since you told him you wouldn't be his friend anymore. He'll never admit it, and will likely deny it if asked, but there have been times when I've actually heard him crying. He's _that_ upset."

Rory sighed, leaning her head back against the wall from her spot on the floor. "I know. I'm upset too. But I meant what I said. Besides, Remus, how do I know that, if I go back to being friends with him, that the next time he sees me talking to Severus, he won't just do the same thing again? I don't know that. He really hurt me with what he said, and I forgave him, but I can't forget. He wasn't even honest with me about why he said those things."

Remus nodded, he knew she was right. But he missed having all of his friends together and had to try. "What if he did? What he if told you exactly why he said the things he said, would you spend time around him then?"

She thought about it. "Tell you what…I'll hang around a bit more, but I can't promise to be okay with him. If he can tell me why he said what he said, then I'll listen. If he's honest about it, we can talk. I can't guarantee anything more than that, I'm sorry."

Remus nodded again. He knew that she couldn't promise anything other than to hear Sirius out. After a few minutes, Rory spoke again, "What do you think of what's been in the paper lately? About that Voldemort guy?"

Remus shuddered, "The things he's been doing…it's horrible. He's been killing so many people lately, the parents of Muggleborns, Muggles themselves…it's horrible. People are getting afraid to even say his name, it's insane."

Rory nodded before looking out the window and standing. "Moon's rising."

They both faced the window as the transformation began. Since Remus was keeping up with his meditations, he had achieved control much quicker than Rory had been able to, and was able to maintain it as well.

This night, instead of restricting themselves to one room, they chose to explore the rest of the house. There wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. Rory looked out the window, able to see the forest, and longed to head out there and run, but both she and Remus had both given Dumbledore their word that they would not leave the Shack. She sighed to herself and hopped up in a chair, yawning and curling up. She hadn't been sleeping well over the last few weeks, and was tired.

She woke up to Remus gently shaking her shoulder and calling her name. She'd apparently managed to transform back while asleep, and the sun was up. Madam Pomfrey had stopped meeting them in the Shack, saying that they could come to the Hospital Wing if anything was wrong. Standing and stretching, the pair left the Shack and quickly crossed the grounds, alert for any students, to get breakfast. The made it to the Great Hall without being spotted and walked inside, heading towards the Gryffindor table. It was later than they usually showed up, so there were students at the other tables as well, including Bellatrix, who glared hatefully at Rory.

Rory and Remus came up level with the Marauders and Remus sat down. Rory noticed Sirius look up hopefully, but she ignored him, sitting next to Peter instead, since he was farthest from Sirius. She pretended to not notice the way his face fell as she talked to James across the table about the homework that was coming due that morning. Sirius looked at her a few times, but he didn't talk to her and she ignored him.

After a few minutes the normal sight of Owls arriving with the post was seen. An Owl dropped in front of Rory with that day's copy of _The Daily Prophet,_ and she paid it and opened her paper, only to pale dramatically and choke violently on the piece of bacon she was eating. She should have known Umbridge had been quiet for too long about her being Adopted into the Potter Family. She should have known she would try and pull something like this, but she was still caught by surprise.

There, on the front page of the paper was a large picture of the toad-faced hag herself, with the headline blaring:

**Dolores Umbridge Lobbies Wizengamot to Ban Blood Adoptions!**

Rory fought to catch her breath as she read the headline, feeling faint. James, seeing her distress, grabbed the paper and read it, before cursing loudly. The other Marauders, as well as the nearby Gryffindors, all looked up, and at Rory's nod, James read the article aloud.

"_In a startling move, Dolores Umbridge, Head of the Department for the Control of Magical Creatures, petitioned the Wizengamot to ban all future Blood Adoptions, and to void any existing ones. This petition would given an unprecedented level of control to the Ministry over Families, and would force all those who were underage and had been party to a Blood Adoption into Ministry Custody._

"_The last time any Law was passed that would dictate who a Family could take into their own was the repeal of the Protectorate Act, in 1767. When asked for comment on why she was Petitioning for such a ban, when most Blood Adoption fall under Family Magic, Madame Umbridge said, 'Many Families use these Blood Adoptions to flout the Laws and Regulations of the Ministry, particularly when it comes to Magical Creatures that would otherwise become Wards of the Ministry. It is part of my job to control such beasts, and Families adopting them as their own makes it so I cannot do that. Underage beasts such as werewolves, vampires and elves need to be control and in some cases, eradicated, and certain Families are making it impossible for me to perform that duty to the Wizarding World.' _

_This reporter was given a copy of the Petition, which, as stated, bans ALL future Blood Adoption Rituals, unless all parties involved are of a Pureblood Family, and have no Magical Creature Inheritance. This would include any Muggleborn children who are orphaned as well, restricting such Rituals to orphans who are purebloods, and who are to be adopted into a Pureblood Family, and only if said Adoption was approved by the Ministry itself. Madam Umbridge went on to say that any and all Blood Adoptions that may be voided were welcome to come down and apply at the Ministry for approval for the Adoption to be reinstated._

_When asked for comment on the petition, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, acting in his capacity as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot declined politely, stating that he, as an official on the Wizengamot, cannot comment on a Petition that is in progress._

_This reporter reminds readers that a similar clause was rejected from the Underage Creature Act of 1966, with the Wizengamot stating that exerting such control over ones Family was not their place. We at the Daily Prophet wonder if that will be the response with this petition as well.'_

As James read the article, Rory had to fight with herself to keep from shaking. The article didn't mention her Adoption in the Potter Family specifically, but it was obvious to her, the Marauders, and the professors that this was done in retaliation. Of course, none of the other Gryffindors knew that, and so one of them, Rory missed who, asked, "Why would Umbridge want to ban Blood Adoptions."

Rory shot a terrified look at James, but it was Sirius who smoothly, and flat out, lied. "James' Dad had an argument with Umbridge about something, we don't know what it was, and it was in the paper that they adopted Rory on Christmas, so this is probably that hag's way of getting back at him."

The others listening nearby seemed to be satisfied with this answer, and Rory found herself shooting a grateful look at Sirius before she remembered she wasn't speaking to him. As quickly as she could without running, she stood and left the Great Hall. As soon as she climbed the first set of stairs, she sprinted towards Gryffindor Tower, unfortunately running nearly headlong into Professor McGonagall on the way. She managed to stop herself before either of them fell, and she looked up at her Head of House, fear clearly written all over her face.

McGonagall had seen the paper, and so chose not to reprimand the young witch too harshly. She led Rory into her office and closed the door firmly behind her as Rory collapsed into a chair, fighting back tears.

She looked up at the Professor and asked, her voice quivering, "Why can't she leave me alone? I never did anything to her, and now she wants to have me killed, for something I didn't ask for and can't help! Why?"

Before McGonagall could answer, there was a knock at her door. Upon opening it, she discovered Professor Dumbledore and Charlus and Miriam Potter, all looking grave. As Rory looked up, she felt her face pale further at the looks on their faces, "They can't have voted on it already?"

Miriam hurried inside, wrapping her daughter of only a month in a hug "No, they haven't, however Umbridge is pushing for all people involved in Adoptions to be at the Ministry this afternoon, so you'll need to be there."

Charlus spoke up "Don't worry. The only way this will pass is if she can prove that you had anything directly to do with your parent's death. As Head of one of the Families affected by the Petition, I have to recues myself from the Panel, and the Minister has said that the Chambers will be closed to the Public while the arguments are going on. There are two other Families affected by this, so they'll be there as well, but the Minister has said they'll be obliviated of the knowledge about you when the proceedings are over. We'll need to leave soon."

Miriam spoke up again "I brought you some dress robes, dear," She handed her a bag, with neatly folded robes inside, "Go get dressed quickly, we'll sort out your hair when you get back, a quick wand wave and it will be braided. When you're at Gryffindor Tower, tell James to get dressed as well. He'll need to come too."

Her heart thudding in her chest, all Rory could do was nod and leave the Office. She saw the Marauders and told them in a deadened voice what had happened, and then hurried upstairs, where she showered and dressed in record time. Within fifteen minutes, both James and Rory were back in McGonagall's office. A quick wave of her wants, and Miriam and Rory's hair plaited quite nicely. Dumbledore had already left.

Rory was scared. She knew about Umbridge's zeal for restricting anyone with Magical Creature blood, and knew about the prejudices that most of the Wizarding World held for werewolves, thanks to Greyback, and knew that this could very likely get ugly.

James was scared as well. He'd always wanted a little sister, and was worried that the Petition would pass, and Rory would be killed. He also knew he owed his sister an apology for hanging around with Sirius so much, and not her. James sighed to himself and tried to keep a calm exterior, even though he knew that his parents were just as worried as he was.

After exchanging goodbyes with McGonagall, who assured them that they were excused from classes for the day, they walked out of the castle, heading off the grounds quickly. Miriam grasped Rory, and Charlus did the same to James, and they were side-along apparated to the Atrium of the Ministry. Since Charlus Potter was the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, he and his Family were permitted. Everyone else had to use the Visitor's Entrance.

Rory couldn't help it; she started trembling slightly out of nerves. James, seeing this, linked his arm with hers and tried to give her a reassuring smile as they all approached the security desk. It came out rather weak, but she appreciated the effort just the same.

The Guard on duty checked their wands, and gave all but Rory back hers, apologetically stating to Charlus, at his inquisitive look, "Its Umbridge's orders. She's not to get her wand back until the voting is done, if the Petition doesn't pass."

Charlus scowled but nodded, conjuring up a bag. "Put the Wand in here then. I want it warded so that myself and Chief Warlock Dumbledore have to both be touching it at the same time before it opens." He watched carefully, nodding when the ward was cast over the bag to his satisfaction.

Rory watched the warding curiously. Charlus, seeing this, explained, "Most wards that surround houses are set up to recognize a person's magical signature so that they're allowed entrance. We use a similar ward over containers for evidence of crimes, and I don't trust Umbridge to use your wand for something illegal if she doesn't get her way. This way, only I and Dumbledore can open the bag, and we have to do it at the same time, even Glamours and Polyjuice Potion can't fool it."

Rory nodded "Oh. Thanks. You're right, she'd probably cast an Unforgivable with it if she thought it would help her get her way."

They made their way down to the Wizengamot voting Chambers, deep in the Ministry Building. They encountered a few reporters, but Charlus brushed them aside and they weren't harassed after that. When they entered the Chamber, Rory stopped dead. Hovering near the chairs where she assumed she was to sit was a Dementor, one of the Guards of Azkaban Prison. With a muffled cry of distress, Rory tried to hide herself behind James, who had gone deathly white.

Charlus looked absolutely livid. Gesturing to his wife and the children to stay near the door, he cast his Patronus, the Silvery Lion patrolling at his side as he stormed towards the raised Dias. "What is the meaning of this? Why is there a Dementor here where my children are supposed to sit while we listen to this woman spout her racist, bigoted drivel?"

The Minister stood with her palms outward in a gesture of peace "Mister Potter that is exactly what we are trying to figure out. None of us here summoned the Dementor, and while there was a summons issued, we can't for the life of us find where it came from, the magical signature appears to have been masked. The only thing we _can_ figure out is that it came from a Department Head, since they are the only ones with the authority to summon a Dementor from Azkaban. We were just about to send the Guard _back_ to Azkaban when you walked in."

Charlus nodded, satisfied with the response. Looking around the room, he saw Umbridge was already there, with a scowl on her flabby face as she heard they were sending the Dementor away. She stood, and opened her mouth to speak "Hem hem...I really don't think the Dementor should be sent ba-"

Minister Bagnold cut her off, glaring at Dolores sternly "What you think does not matter here, Madam, in regards to the Dementor. None of those present are criminals, and a Dementor being present is inappropriate. Given your reluctance to have the guard sent back to its rightful post, I believe we know where to look to see where the summons was issued from. Now, I suggest you sit down so we can get this over with."

The other members of the Wizengamot murmured their agreement and everyone was quickly seated. Rory looked around and saw that the other three Families that were being affected by this Petition all had young children probably adopted from an orphanage, and she felt a surge of hot anger for Umbridge. She was willing to tear all of these Families apart, just to get at Rory. It wasn't fair.

After a few minutes, in which Charlus sat with Miriam, James and Rory, trying to calm her down, the Scribe of the Wizengamot called for order and began the proceedings.

"I hereby call this Wizengamot Meeting to Order. Let the records state that Lord Charlus Potter, and Lord Ignatius Dravin have had to recues themselves from this voting, being that they are being directly affected by the petition brought before this Body. This Meeting is now is Session, and none may speak unless addressed. Leading this Session are Millicent Bagnold; Minister of Magic, and Albus Dumbledore; Chief Warlock."

Dumbledore read through a scroll of parchment quickly before speaking "I put it before this body that we seal the proceedings, so that none who are not aware of certain facts may not speak of them, and so may not speak to the press. Are there any concerns to this from the parties affected?"

A man stood and quietly waited to be addressed. Dumbledore nodded and said "This Body recognizes Matthew Philips and gives him leave to speak."

Mr. Philips cleared his throat, "I'm not sure what you mean about not being able to speak about certain facts, Chief Warlock. Can you clarify?"

"It means that if, for example, a little known fact about any of the parties was to come to light, you would be unable to tell that fact to any reporters, or any who were not already aware of the fact."

Mr. Philips nodded and took his seat. Dumbledore spoke again, "All in favor of sealing the proceedings as requested?" All hands on the Wizengamot went up. "Passed." A flash of Magic appeared which Rory assumed was meant to enforce the Wizengamot motion.

Dumbledore spoke again, "We are brought here today to vote upon a Petition brought for by Dolores Umbridge, Head of the Department for the Control of Magical Creatures, requesting the banning of all Blood Adoptions, excepting those who are of Pure Blood, and dissolving those that have already been. Madame Umbridge, as the Bringer of the Petition, you have the floor. Your argument is being restricted to ten minutes, with allowance for answering questions put forth by any member of this Body."

Umbridge got to her feet and walked to the middle of the floor with her nose slightly in the air. She plastered a simpering smile on her face and began her arguments. "Hem hem. Esteemed members of the Wizengamot, Blood Adoptions are used very often by Families to take in those who are orphaned by war and other unfortunate circumstances. However, recently a Blood Adoption was used to keep a youth who, as a werewolf and thus a violent, dangerous beast, was responsible for the deaths of her parents away from Ministry custody, and as such, away from being executed under the words of the Law. It is my hope that by dissolving all Blood Adoption and forcing those in the future to apply for Ministry Approval, we can avoid such blatant flouting of our Laws and keep the Wizarding World safe."

An older man on the Wizengamot stood and Dumbledore stated "The Wizengamot recognizes Lord Chou Li as having the Floor."

Lord Li spoke, his accent causing his words to be clipped and stern, "Madame Umbridge, What Evidence do you have that the youth in question was in fact responsible for the deaths of her parents? And if she in fact was, why was she not arrested by the Aurors?"

"The youth in question is a Werewolf, and all werewolves are dangerous murderers, that is all the proof I need, Lord Li. As to why she was not arrested, why, she was adopted by Lord Charlus Potter, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, whom I believe has used his position as a Department Head to flout the law that would bring the Beast to justice."

Rather than evoking outrage, as Umbridge had hoped, a large majority of the Wizengamot simply frowned, as Charlus Potter was well known for his integrity.

Another man stood, "The Wizengamot recognizes Lord Adrian Bones as having the floor."

When Lord Bones spoke, his displeasure with Umbridge was obvious. "Are you stating, Madam Umbridge, that there was no veritaserum questioning to prove guilt, and you are merely _assuming_ that she is responsible because she is a Werewolf? Further, you were willing to petition to dissolve many Adoptions that had nothing to do with the lady in question simply to achieve your goal of executing a werewolf that likely did not, do anything illegal?"

Umbridge replied, her voice sugary sweet, "Lord Bones, Fenrir Greyback was sighted in the area shortly before the deaths of this young werewolf's parent's, and she escaped the fire without injury, which is highly suspicious. The other Families affected adopted _Muggleborn_ children, who are not capable of grasping our Traditions sufficiently to warrant being Blood Adopted into a Family."

Rory had heard enough and stood, after receiving a nod of approval from Charlus.

"The Wizengamot recognizes Aurora Hecate Potter-Knight as having the floor."

Rory took a breath to calm herself before beginning, "Esteemed members of the Wizengamot, I am the werewolf in question. Fenrir Greyback broke into my home on this past Christmas Eve, and attacked my parents, killing them. He then set my house on fire. It was only by contacting the Headmaster of my school, Chief Warlock Dumbledore, that I was able to escape injury. He questioned me upon our arrival back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am willing to undergo veritaserum questioning in order to prove, without a doubt, that I am not responsible in any way for my parent's murder."

There was brief discussion among the Wizengamot. Finally, Minister Bagnold spoke. "Normally, we would not do this. You are still a minor, after all. However, The Wizengamot feels that we should do this so there is no longer a question in any manner of your guilt or innocence. Should the veritaserum questioning prove your story, Miss Potter-Knight, this Petition will be dismissed with prejudice and you will all be free to go. However, should you be proven to be lying under Veritaserum, we will have no choice but to relinquish you to Madam Umbridge's custody and grant her Petition. Are you still willing to undergo this questioning?"

"Yes, Minister, I am."

"Very well, then. This Body will recess for ten minutes while Veritaserum is obtained from Ministry store holds. No Parties present are authorized to leave the Chamber at anytime."

Rory sat down, calmer now than she had been at the beginning of the meeting.

Miriam smiled at her "That was very good. You kept your temper, which I would have found it very difficult to accomplish."

Charlus nodded "The Veritaserum questioning will clear this all up immediately, and we can get you both back to Hogwarts before lunch."

Rory looked at Charlus, a curious expression on her face, "Earlier, the proceedings were sealed, so that means that no one in here can tell anyone I'm a werewolf, or anything about me being a werewolf, but I can tell others who know already, right?"

Charlus nodded, "Yes, why?"

James was the one who answered, "Sirius and Remus and Peter are probably going to want to know what happened, and now we know we can tell them."

At that moment, the doors to the Chamber opened and someone wearing Auror robes walked in. He handed a small vial of clear liquid to the Minister, who inspected it and handed it back. The Auror stood next to the Wizengamot Dais, waiting to administer the potion."

The Wizengamot Session was called back to Order quickly, with Umbridge looking smug. No doubt because of her prejudices, she thought Rory's questioning would result in her being turned over to her immediately afterwards.

The Minister spoke again once everyone was seated. "It has been determined that we will ask no more than five questions to Miss Potter-Knight, once we are aware the serum is working properly. I, as Minister of Magic, will be the only individual asking questions, and have already determined which ones will be asked. Miss Potter-Knight, could you step forward, please?"

Rory stood and walked to the chair indicated by the Minister. She sat down and looked up calmly as the Minister instructed the Auror to administer the Veritaserum.

"What is your name?"

"Aurora Hecate Potter-Knight."

"What is your date of birth?"

"October the Seventeenth, 1960"

Satisfied the Veritaserum was working properly, the Minister began his five questions.

"Miss Potter-Knight, when did you become a werewolf?"

"I was bitten in 1961."

"Were you responsible for the death of Marilyn Knight, nee Johnson, and Andrew Knight, your birth parents?"

"No, I was not."

"Are you aware of why your parents were killed?"

"Nothing has been proven to be fact, but I have theories."

"What is your primary theory, please?"

"Fenrir Greyback was the one who killed my parents. It has been established that he was sighted in the area minutes before the fire. It is my belief that he attacked my parents after they refused to turn me over to him."

"Why did Fenrir Greyback want you relinquished to his custody?"

"I have the unique ability to control my transformations, making it so I completely keep my humanity during the full moons. This ability took me many years to perfect. It is my belief that Greyback wanted me to teach this ability to those who follow him, so he can cause more damage than he already does."

"Thank you. Auror, administer the antidote."

The Veritaserum antidote was administered quickly and Rory was lead back to her chair. Due to her lycanthropy, she was affected more by the potion, and was so still slightly dizzy. James stood and helped her sit down, so she didn't fall, and she smiled at him before focusing on what the Wizengamot was saying.

Dolores Umbridge had stood and was waiting to be recognized, which the Wizengamot did, obviously reluctantly.

"The fact that this…beast…can control that which has been deemed uncontrollable proves that she is a Dark Witch, and can probably throw off the effects of Veritaserum. I demand she be turned over to my custody, where she can be escorted to the Department for the Disposal for Dangerous Creatures, so she can be sanitized, lest she teach other werewolves her Dark tricks."

The Wizengamot had heard enough and glowered sternly at Dolores Umbridge, who shrank back into her seat, aware she was in serious trouble. When Dumbledore spoke, his voice carried a hint of steel to it.

"Dolores Umbridge, your Petition to Ban all Blood Adoptions and Dissolve those in existence is hereby denied with Prejudice. You may not bring this or a similar Petition before this Body again, ever. Also, you have shown that your prejudice has a negative impact on how you perform your Duties as Department Head, and so you are hereby instructed to meet with the Minister immediately following these proceedings to reevaluate your position in the Ministry of Magic. I remind all parties that the fact that Miss Potter-Knight is a werewolf and can control her lycanthropy has been sealed, and all present will be unable to speak of it to any not already aware. These proceedings are dismissed."

Rory felt nearly weak with relief as Charlus lead them all out of the Chambers. Dumbledore was summoned so that they could retrieve Rory's wand, and they immediately apparated to the Village near Hogwarts, Hogsmeade. Charlus looked at his watch "It is just after lunch, so I believe we'll stop at the Three Broomsticks here and have something to eat before you go back to class."

As they all sat and were served, Charlus turned to Rory, wearing a serious expression. "This will not be the last time Dolores attempts something like this. I must impress upon you the need to be careful when you are leaving the castle to transform. Also, you are aware that your parents had a seat on the Wizengamot?" At Rory's nod, he continued, "You will need to appoint a proxy to vote that seat until you are of age. Right now, Werewolves are still permitted to use hereditary seats, though that may change, even though it is unlikely."

"Can the proxy I select be someone who already holds a seat?" Charlus nodded.

"Then, please, I want you to be my proxy. I know you won't abuse it."

Charlus nodded again "Over the summer, there will be forms to fill out. Until then, the Knight Vote is simply cast as 'abstained'. After you come back for the Summer Holidays, we'll get your suite in the Manor set up. You can, of course, decorate any way you'd like. Would you like out House Elves to pick you up something from your parent's house?"

Rory bit her lip, thinking. "Can you just have them box everything that was undamaged up and place everything except what was in my room in the Family Vault? The things that were in my room, and the Family Portrait, can just be placed aside until the Summer." Miriam nodded, "Of course we can, Dear. Also, we want you to know you don't have to call us Mum and Dad. We're happy with Mr. and Mrs. Potter, or even Miriam and Charlus if you are comfortable with it."

Rory could only nod. The rest of the meal was spent with Miriam slightly rebuking James for the amount of detentions he had gotten already, and general chit chat about classes and school.

Once the meal was over, Miriam apparated back to Potter Manor to oversee the House Elves packing the Knight Home, and Charlus escorted James and Rory back to school, giving them stern instructions to immediately check in with either Dumbledore or McGonagall, before leaving to go back to the Ministry.

Since neither of them had any other classes for the day, they stopped up at the Tower, grabbing their Homework that had been due for Transfiguration and Defense against the Dark Arts. As they checked in to let McGonagall know they were back, they handed in their homework and asked that she pass along their Defense assignment.

She nodded and smiled slightly "Obviously, since you're here, the Voting went in your favor, which I am very pleased to hear. Now, I will pass along your Defense Assignment to Professor Mikhail, and I suggest you go find your friends. Misters Lupin, Black and Pettigrew have been quite anxiously awaiting your return."

Understanding themselves dismissed, the pair wandered around the School, looking for the other Marauders. Upon looking in the Library, Rory saw Severus and Lily and excused herself quickly and made her way over to them.

Lily looked up and poked Severus, pointing. They both saw her and looked relieved.

Severus asked "So, what happened?"

Rory said, "Umbridge got into an argument with Mister Potter, and tried to use the Adoption to get her way. The Wizengamot saw through it and dismissed it with prejudice. She also has been demoted." Lily looked surprised so Rory hurried to continue, "Its Tradition that when a major Petition brought by a Department Head fails, they get demoted. Umbridge was meeting with the Minister when we left."

Lily and Severus nodded. Smiling apologetically at Severus, she asked Lily, "Have you seen Remus? McGonagall said he and Black and Peter were a bit anxious about what went on, so we want to let them know everything is fine."

Severus snorted slightly and Rory raised an eyebrow. "Like Black cares about anyone but himself," was the scathing reply.

Rory narrowed her eyes and practically growled at Severus "Listen to me, Severus; I know you don't get along with Black. I understand why because I've seen how he treats you. But don't you ever say that he doesn't care about anyone but himself, because it's simply not true. Sirius Black is far from selfish and uncaring. Just because you don't get along with him, does not give you the right to judge his entire personality."

She stood quickly and stalked out of the Library, running nearly headlong into the very person she just finished defending. He caught her before she hit the stone floor and she looked up at him, smiling slightly. She opened her mouth to say something, to tell them all how the Voting went, but Sirius hurried on before she could say anything, pulling her over near the wall and out of the doorway, and talking quietly.

"I'm sorry, so sorry, I was jealous of you hanging out with Severus by yourself, and I don't really know why I was, but I was, and I didn't mean anything I said, I promise, and please just talk to me again because I hate you being this angry at me. I'm really sorry and I promise I'll never accuse you of being Dark just because you hang around with him ever again, I swear it, just please don't hate me anymore."

Rory blinked a few times as Sirius spoke without taking a breath. Finally, she just placed her hand over his mouth, quieting him immediately and smiling slightly, looking in his eyes. She knew she had a bit of a crush on Sirius, but also knew enough to know she shouldn't act on it now, when everything in her life was still so tumultuous and chaotic. When she was sure that if she took her hand away, Sirius was still going to be quiet, she moved her hand away, blushing slightly.

Acting entirely on impulse, she threw her arms around Sirius' neck and hugged him tightly, whispering in his ear, "It's okay," and squeezing him lightly. She felt the heat rising in his face as he hugged her back, and then she stepped away quickly. James filled them all in on what happened at the Voting as they walked back to the Tower.

As they all sat down, exhausted after such a worrying day, Sirius looked over at Rory, who had her head leaned back against the couch and her eyes closed. He felt something for the which, but didn't know how to react. He knew he liked her, and he knew that it was a different kind of like than he felt for anyone else at all.

He sighed, confused with what he was feeling, and resolved to try and work it through, this time _without_ hurting his friend.


	13. Chapter 12

AN- Wow. I had a bit of trouble with this chapter, so sorry for the couple of days wait that you guys had to endure. Just to clear up any confusion, I put the "main" characters ages in the AN of the last chapter because typically, ages 11 and 12 is when hormones start to kick in and crushes and the like happen. In my HP Universe, Witches and Wizards mature a bit faster than their non-magical counterparts, but not too much. Just enough, a 12 year old would be about as mature as a 14 year old, for instance... Ships are going to be JP&LE (duh), SB and RPK (Rory Potter-Knight) and I might toss a few others in for fun, after all, we can't just have two people dating in all of Hoggy's, lol. Also, my exchange rate for coins differs from Canon. In Canon, a Galleon is roughly 5.50 GBP, which seems low to me. Currently, gold is selling for around 1,000 USD and ounce, and I can't see the Goblins using anything less than pure Gold, so prices and such will reflect this.

Chapter Twelve

Homeward Bound

The rest of the school year passed without very much incident at all. Charlus Potter wrote to James and Rory, telling them that, before her meeting with the Minister, Umbridge has tried to obtain Rory's wand, and had thrown a minor tantrum upon seeing the ward that was around it. She was still working in the Department for the Control of Magical Creatures, but now it was as secretary to the new Department Head, a man named Andrew Crane. According to Charlus, he previously worked for the Department of Magic, over in the United States, and had helped draft a number of their Magical Creature laws. He was currently meeting with Charlus and the Minister every week, and going over the Magical Creature laws that had been passed during Umbridge's Tenure as Head.

The _Daily Prophet_ had covered as much of the story as they were able, having gotten an official statement from Dumbledore and Minister Bagnold. They also published news about Umbridge's demotion, with the witch declining comment.

Incidents between the Marauders and Severus happened fairly regularly, with Lily and Rory berating the Marauders every single time. More than once, Rory had to resort to using hexes on her brother and Sirius. The Full Moon transformations continued to go smoothly, with Remus able to transform and keep his humanity consistently.

Before they knew it, finals for the year were upon them. Rory managed to nag the Marauders into actually studying, except Remus, who didn't need to be nagged. For two weeks, the students buckled down and reviewed their textbooks and homework diligently. After their final exam, Potions, they all went outside and relaxed in the June sunshine, near the Lake.

James broke the silence as soon as they sat down, exclaiming "Thank Merlin that's finally over! I thought exams would _never_ end!"

Remus shared and amused glance with Rory "Yes, now there's a whole weekend left until we find out whether you failed and your mum kills you."

Sirius laughed slightly, the sound having a rather bitter edge, "Yeah, right. My mum's already going to kill me for not being in Slytherin. You should see the letter's she's been writing me. I'm telling you, mate, I'm definitely _not_ looking forward to going home."

Peter only shrugged "As long as I did well enough to get into Second Year, I'll be fine with it. Mind, my parents might not be thrilled, but I'll be fine."

Rory leaned back against the tree trunk and looked up at the sky, allowing herself to get slightly lost in her thoughts. She would be moving to a new home this summer. Her parents were dead, so she was moving in with the Potter's, who had Adopted her. She realized suddenly that she had no idea what it would be like. What rules would they have? What would be expected of her? She had, after all, only lived with her parents, who were well used to her odd habits, and her lycanthropy. They let her pretty much do as she pleased; as long as she stayed out of trouble and let them know where she was. Would the Potter's be the same, or would they be stricter? She frowned slightly. What if they decided that living with a daughter who had Lycanthropy was simply too much trouble, and decided they didn't want her anymore? She mentally shook herself; that wouldn't happen. The Potter's were nice people; it was only her experiences with prejudice and such that had her thinking this way.

She cast a glance at Sirius, simply watching him as he goofed around with the other Marauders. They had had a few more fights throughout the year, mostly over her hanging around with Severus, but true to his word, he had never even come close to accusing her of being Dark again. After her harsh words to Severus, the Slytherin hadn't been very harsh about the Marauders in her presence again. She was still trying to work out her feelings for him, and hoped that things would be a little clearer over the Summer.

Rory stretched and yawned, exams had exhausted her. Looking out across the grounds, she saw Lily and Severus, and waved, smiling as they waved back.

"There's Lily and Sev. I'll see you guys later." Waving, Rory climbed to her feet and walked over to the pair, smiling.

"How do you think you did on exams?"

Severus shrugged "Defense I think I did well on, and Potions. The others, I'm pretty sure I passed, but those two were my best."

Lily nodded "Potions and Charms are my best ones. I hate speculating about grades, I try and just wait until I see what I got."

Rory nodded "Defense I know I aced, I'm not sure about the others. You guys got any plans for the Summer?"

Severus looked uncomfortable, and Lily shot him a reassuring smile before speaking "Sev and I live near each other, so we'll probably hang out a bit. Aside of that, I haven't seen my parents since September, so I'm looking forward to it. Petunia, however…"

She trailed off, and Severus and Rory looked understanding. Severus, obviously, knew Lily's sister, but she had told Rory about her after a letter from home caused the young redhead to burst into tears. "She still not any better, then?"

Lily shook her head as they sat under a tree by the lake, far enough away from the Marauders so that they wouldn't bother Severus. "No. She says such horrible things to me. In her Easter Card, she called me a freak again, and started quoting anti Witch Bible passages at me. I don't think Mum and Dad know about it, though, or else she never would have done it."

Severus looked at little confused as he asked "Bible passages?"

It was Rory who explained "The Bible is a Muggle religious book. It is supposed to center around lessons of love and honor and friendship, but has been perverted by politicians over the last thousands of years into something that barely resembles the original. The passage Lily is talking about says 'Thou salt not suffer a witch to live.' But it's mistranslated. The word they have for 'witch' was originally 'poisoner' or 'one who poisons'. "

Severus' eyes widened at the implications and Lily nodded, "My family was never particularly religious, but my parent's wrote that Petunia's been going to church quite a lot lately, and randomly quoting the Bible. Hopefully she won't do anything too bad when I'm home though. What about you, Rory?"

Rory shrugged "I'm going home with the Potter's. I still have to decorate and go through the things from my parent's house. A fair amount was damaged in the Fire, but there's still a bit to go through. Most of it is in the Vault, though. Their Will was released over Easter, and they left everything to me, and said that if a suitable Family was not willing to assume guardianship, I was to be emancipated. Since I was Adopted, though, the Potter's are my guardians until I'm of age. I suspect most of the Summer will be spent with us getting used to each other and trying to set some rules and such."

Lily and Severus nodded and they talked idly for a while longer, before walking back to the Castle for dinner. As they entered the Great Hall, someone bumped harshly into Rory's shoulder, causing her to stumble, but not fall. Looking up, she saw Bellatrix Black, glowering hatefully at her. Feeling cheeky, Rory simply smiled, winked and waved before sitting down, quickly bidding goodbye to Lily and Severus. With so many teachers' present, the Ravenclaw didn't dare go for her wand.

Monday quickly arrived, and with it, exam results were posted. Classes had ended, and students were leaving on Tuesday.

The results were posted to each student in the form of a sealed envelope appearing over the night on each student's bedside table. By previous agreement, Rory met the Marauders downstairs in the Common Room after dressing, so they could open their results together. Lily was doing the same with Severus, and the girls promised to meet up and compare results later on in the afternoon.

Exchanging slightly nervous looks with the Marauders, Rory tore open her envelope and read her results with an eager eye.

Aurora Hecate Potter-Knight

Gryffindor House

Head of House- Professor Minerva McGonagall

Exam Results for the 1971-1972 School Year

**Transfiguration**- _Professor Minerva McGonagall_- High Exceeds Expectations

**Charms**- _Professor Filius Flitwick- _High Exceeds Expectations

**Defense Against the Dark Arts**- _Professor Arturo Mikhail-_ High Outstanding

**Potions**- _Professor Horace Slughorn- _Outstanding

**Herbology**- _Professor Pomona Sprout- _Exceeds Expectations

**Astronomy**- _Professor Aurora Sinastra- _Outstanding

**History of Magic **–_Professor Cuthbert Binns- _High Outstanding

_You have been cleared to pass on to your Second Year of schooling at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Booklists detailing the required supplies will be sent out over the Summer Holidays. Please be advised that Students who are not yet of age (Seventeen) are not permitted to perform Magic over the Holidays. Please see your Head of House if you have any concerns, academic or otherwise. Please see the attached sheet for Grade Rankings for your Year._

_Have a safe and pleasant Summer Holiday, and I hope to see you all here, rested and ready to learn, next September the First._

_Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

_Headmaster_

Rory let out a huge sigh of relief as she read her marks. She had not only passed, she had done remarkably well!

She looked up expectantly, and Remus was the first to hand her over his marks, which were almost identical to her own, the only difference being he achieved a "Low Exceeds Expectations" in Potions. Peter achieved a range of "Acceptable" to "High Acceptable" in all his classes, except for History, where he received a Poor. Sirius got High Exceeds Expectations in everything except Defense, where he got a High Outstanding, earning him a smile from Rory, which caused him to blush. James's marks also closely mirrored Rory's, with the exception being Transfiguration, where he achieved a High Outstanding. Relieved now that they knew their results, they separated to finish packing, since the train would be leaving early the next morning, straight after Breakfast, actually.

As Rory shut her trunk and locked it, having located all of her belongings, Mary and Alice came into the dorm. After a quick exchange about grades, Rory left, waving to the Marauders in the Common Room and left to find Lily.

She found her, and Severus, out near the Quidditch Pitch, and sat next to them.

"Hey, guys."

Severus smiled slightly and Lily waved and spoke "Hi, Rory. How'd you do?"

"O's and a few EE's. You?"

"High O in Charms and Potions, Transfiguration, History, Defense and Herbology, High EE in everything else."

Severus answered next "High O in Defense and Potions. High EE in everything else. According to Slughorn, it was just under where I could have gotten a Low O in Transfiguration. Not bad, though. I'm pleased with it. What about you, be more specific!"

Rory laughed "Okay, okay. Let's see… I got High EE in Transfiguration and Charms. High Outstanding in History and Defense, Normal O in Potions and Astronomy, and normal EE in Herbology. I did pretty well. I didn't even look at the Grade Rankings, though. Did either of you?"

Lily and Severus both shook their heads, so they decided to look at them together. Of the three, only Rory had hers with her, so they used that.

**Grade Rankings for First Year Students**

**All Houses**

**1971-1972**

_1-Lily Evans- Gryffindor House_

_2-Aurora Potter-Knight- Gryffindor House_

_3- Severus Snape- Slytherin House_

_4- James Potter-Gryffindor House_

_5-Mary MacDonald-Gryffindor House_

_6- Sirius Black-Gryffindor House_

_7- Narcissa Black- Slytherin House_

_8- Anna Michaels- Ravenclaw House_

…_.._

They skimmed the list after Number 8, pointing out the names of people they knew, and of their friends. Remus, they saw, was tenth, while Peter was 36th, which made Rory wince slightly. Severus and Rory both congratulated Lily sincerely on being first in the class as they made their way back up to the Castle. Lily and Rory had a few Library books to return, and Severus had to finish packing.

After falling asleep early, and rising early to grab breakfast, all of the students were scrambling to get a compartment to themselves on the train. Lily sat with Mary and Alice, while Severus sat with some Slytherins, and Rory sat with the Marauders. James and Remus sat to one side, with Peter next to the window, while Sirius and Rory sat on the other bench. During the train ride they laughed and joked, traded chocolate frog cards and played Exploding Snap, until Rory fell asleep, unconsciously curled up against Sirius. The other raised their eyebrows, but didn't say anything.

About an hour before the train was due to pull into Platform 9 ¾'s, Rory woke up, stretching and blushing when she saw that she had been curled up against Sirius' side, and James asked the others over for part of the Summer.

"Mum and Dad won't mind, and we have plenty of room."

Sirius appeared pensive, "I don't know if I'll be able to, mate. My parents are already about to flip because I made Gryffindor, and I don't know if my grades will calm them enough to get them to let me. I'll try, though."

Rory raised an eyebrow, "Siri, you were 6th in the year. You did better than your cousin Narcissa, who _is_ in Slytherin, so you can always point that out. It's not as if you failed every class."

Sirius nodded, looking a little better.

"I don't know if I can, James." Remus was the next to speak up. "Unless we can schedule it around the Full Moon, since my parents are very wary of me being anywhere that isn't my basement during them." James and Rory both nodded and then turned to Peter.

He sighed "My parents are likely to have me studying all Summer. My grades are not going to be pleasing to them, and I was 36th in the year. You guys _all _made the top ten, and I was 36th. My parents might actually kill me for this." He smiles ruefully, so they knew he wasn't serious.

Shortly after, the train pulled in and they all grabbed their trunks. They waited a few minutes for the stampede of students to slow down before making their way out of the train.

Walburga and Orion Black were standing next to the Potter's, making polite small talk. After all, Charlus was Head of the DMLE, and so they couldn't afford to be rude. The Lupins saw Remus and introductions were made all around. The Lupin's and Pettigrew's quickly took their leave, Remus and Peter promising to Owl.

Sirius, looking at his parents, felt uncomfortable and wanted nothing more than to leave with the Potter's, rather than go back to his Family Manor. Hoping to force consent, he spoke to his Father, speaking far more formally than Rory and James had ever heard from their friend.

"Father, James has invited me to spend a portion of the Holiday at his home, would this be permissible?"

Orion Black surveyed his son sternly before speaking, "We shall see. If your grades are decent, and you are in the top ten ranking of your class, you will be allowed to go." He turned and addressed Charlus, "If that is agreeable to you, Lord Potter, of course."

Charlus nodded, "Of course, Lord Black. Any of my children's friends are welcome in my home at any time."

Orion nodded before beckoning Sirius to follow "Very well, then. I shall have Sirius Owl you to make arrangements." He nodded briefly to James and Rory "A pleasure to meet you both, and Miss Potter-Knight, my condolences on the loss of your parents."

Rory curtsies slightly, as her parents had taught, and replied "My thanks to you, Lord Black."

As the Black's left, James and Rory relaxed slightly. Charlus and Miriam side-along apparated the pair to Potter Manor, which was secluded in Wales, not a neighbor for miles, and with acres of forest on the grounds. Rory felt her eyes grow wide. It had been so long since she had gotten to run in a forest, since the one on Hogwarts' grounds was Forbidden, and she wanted nothing more than to go explore. However, there were things to be done first.

Charlus lead Rory into the Sitting Room of the Manor, and Miriam and James entered as well.

Charlus smiled as he spoke "Well, before we do anything else, I suppose we should get the formalities out of the way. Aurora, you'll find we're really rather laid back here. We expect you to treat the elves with politeness and respect, we expect you to do all of your Holiday Homework, and we expect you to inform us before you leave the Manor, even if it is just to wander the Grounds, which you are free to do at any time. Breakfast is whenever you wake up, Lunch is promptly at 1, and Dinner is promptly at 6. Dinner is the only meal where everyone must be in attendance. If it is just Family, we don't dress for Dinner, and if it is required, you will know beforehand. We expect you to keep your Suite clean and tidy. The elves help with anything you need, but general pick up and such is your responsibility. Are there any questions?"

Rory was surprised. These 'rules' really were more along the lines of common sense. They were slightly stricter than at her parent's home, where there had really been no set mealtimes, since they were both always busy with projects and such, and they hadn't acquired another Elf after the family elf had died, but that was really the only difference.

She did have one question, though. "What about the Full Moons? Can I use the Forest during them?"

Charlus looked thoughtful, "You have complete control over your transformations, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then I don't see why not. I must insist that you do not, under _any circumstances_ leave the grounds. There are wards set up, so you will know when you are getting close to the borders of the property, and I must insist that you not cross them, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir. I promise I won't leave the wards."

"Good. Now, we have your things from your room, as well as the Family Portrait, set aside in the Suit across from James'. Your Suite has a parlour with fireplace, a bedroom, and a bath. Your fireplace is set up to take Floo Calls, but not to Floo out or for any to Floo in. There is also one guest room in your Suite, should you have a female friend from school stay over. Male friends will use a Guest Suite.

"Miriam and I took a look at the décor in your old room and Miriam has a few catalogues that you can look at to decide what you want as fast as that goes. Everything else from your parents is in the Family Vault. As a member of the Potter Family, you will start getting a Trust, just as James does, except yours is in addition to the Trust you get from your parent's estate. To help teach you responsibility, the Trust must be used to purchase your school supplies, including any that break and need replacing. Aside of that, you are free to use your Trust for anything you wish.

"Your Trust from the Potter Vault is 3,000 Galleons, to be refilled every year, on your Birthday, as is Potter Family Tradition. According to Gringotts, who allowed me to look due to the Adoption, your Trust from the Knight Family Vault is 2,500 Galleons, also refilled on your Birthday. Currently, you have 2,347 Galleon's 7 Sickles and 3 Knuts in your Trust Vault, since the first Potter Deposit will not be until October. The Goblins tell me that the Knight Estate currently has 5,000,000 Galleons in it, as well as Family Heirlooms and your parent's Home, which has not been sold, and will not be unless you specify it. Your Potter Trust will continue until you are of age, and after that it will increase to 10,000 Galleons. Your Knight Trust stops when you come of age, since you will then take over the Estate, and your family's seat on the Wizengamot.

"There, now I believe I've covered everything… I just need you to sign these forms that designate me as the Knight Proxy."

Rory signed the papers quickly before looking up at Miriam and Charlus. "I know I haven't said so before, since everything has been so hectic and crazy when we see each other, but I want to say thank you. I truly appreciate everything you're doing for me, and I know you didn't have to offer an Adoption when James Owled you, and many others would not have, given my Lycanthropy. So, please, thank you."

Miriam smiled "Think nothing of it, dear. As I said, we always wanted another child, and now we have one. Now, since the formalities are out of the way, let's move on and see your grades."

Rory and James smiled and, rather proudly, handed their grades over to the elder Potters.

Miriam smiled "Very well done, you two! Both in the top 5 in the class! We are very proud of you both."

Charlus agreed "These are very good grades. Now, let's go get something to eat and then Aurora can start decorating her room."

Lunch was a simply affair of sandwiches and drinks, the small family making small talk as they ate. Miriam showed Rory the catalogues she had chosen and Rory started selecting the things that caught her eye, asking the older woman for opinions every so often.

Meanwhile, at the Black Home in London, things were not as cheery. As the door closed behind Sirius, he stumbled as a sharp smack connected with his cheek. Walburga grabbed him roughly by the arm and dragged him into the Sitting Room, where she practically threw him onto the sofas she started yelling.

"_Sorted into Gryffindor House? I have never been so ashamed in all my life! I could barely even stand to show my face at the Lestrange Luncheon after I heard! A Black, The __**Heir**__ to the Black Family no less, sorted into Gryffindor! I could barely look your Auntie and Uncle in the face when I got the Owl! You should be ashamed of yourself, Sirius Orion Black, for daring to be sorted into Gryffindor! And the detentions! Merlin, are you determined to shame this Family into nothingness! Cavorting with that Knight girl, a __**werewolf**__, Sirius! Your Father heard it at the Wizengamot Hearing. A Werewolf1 As if it were not enough that you not do you Family proud and be sorted into Slytherin, now you much associate yourself with Animals as well!"_

At this, Sirius stood, his hands clenched in anger at his sides as he, for the first time in living memory, shouted at his mother, "Rory is not an animal!"

Walburga merely sneered as she backhanded her son again _"Oh, RORY, is it? Sirius Black, you will not associate yourself with that beast any longer. I can only hope your grades will not further shame me. Let me see them, NOW!"_

At this Orion cleared his throat, speaking calmly, but with a hint of steel behind his words that caused Walburga to pale, realizing she overstepped her boundaries. "Wife, I believe my eldest son is to show his grades to me, and I believe that it is only I who can dictate who my Heir is able to associate himself with. Now, leave us while I speak with my Heir."

Walburga left the room, with her head help high, though she was shaking slightly. It was unheard of in Noble Families for the Wife to overstep her bounds in such a manner, and she knew she would pay for it later.

Sirius, however, breathed a mental sigh of relief. Though strict, his father was more human than his mother, and would not fault him for being sorted into a different House than Slytherin, provided his Grades were good, and he knew they were.

Orion Black sat across from his son and spoke quietly. "Now, Sirius, I am not going to yell at you for being sorted into Gryffindor, since that is obviously where the Sorting Hat thought you best suited. I will not forbid you from speaking with Aurora Potter-Knight, since she is the daughter of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Noble herself. I will, however, express my disappointment with the number of detentions you have received, and the reason for having received them. Not being Sorted into Slytherin House, son, does not give you reason to act so immaturely, and I expect better from you. I will also express my disappointment and anger, yes, anger, at you shouting at your mother. Whether you agree with her or not, she is your mother and you _will_ treat her with respect. Is that understood?"

Sirius sat, his head bowed throughout his Father's lecture. At the asked question Sirius nodded and said "Yes, Father."

Orion nodded, satisfied. "Very well. Now, your grades, if you could."

Sirius handed over the parchment and Orion looked it over, nodding in approval. "Very good. I am pleased with these grades. You may Owl James Potter and spend the Summer in his Manor, if Lord Potter is willing to have you there for that amount of time, after you complete your Holiday Assignments. Your Trust will be filled next week, as usual, and you will purchase your supplies out of said Trust." After hearing Sirius assent, Orion sent him to his room with his things to get started on his work.

Sirius climbed the steps to his Suite, seeing his Father step out of the Sitting Room in search of his Mother, and stopped at his brother's door. Regulus was a year younger than he, and would be starting Hogwarts next term. He was also everything his mother wanted Sirius to be, and on more than one occasion, he had heard her trying to convince his father to disinherit him and make Regulus his Heir. This usually resulted in punishment for his Mother. The Blacks were a Dark Family, with Sirius bucking that trend, and so punishment for children and spouses by way of curses was not unheard of.

Knocking lightly on his brother's door, Sirius waited. They had been close when they were younger, but had drifted about the previous summer. Regulus opened the door and smiled a bit wanly at Sirius.

"Hi. Mother has been raging all year, you know."

"I know. I almost got Sorted into Slytherin…but I asked for Gryffindor. I'm not like them, Regulus. I'm not Dark. I don't like Curses and Hexes. Have you heard about this Dark Lord?"

Regulus nodded "Abraxas and Andrea Malfoy were hear a few times over the year. Father doesn't know that I was listening, but He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," and here, Sirius raised an incredulous eyebrow, "has been making overtures, asking Father to join his...organization."

Sirius sighed and shook his head as his mother's screams echoed from the basement, where she was being punished for overstepping herself, "I won't be here long, Reg. I'm going to do my homework and them Owl the Potters, who invited me to stay."

Regulus narrowed his eyes "You know, you say you're not like us, but maybe, if you spent more time at him, you could at least get along with your Family." He them slammed his door in Sirius face, leaving him to continue onto his Suite alone, where he immediately started on his assignments.

At the Lupins', Remus was eating a sandwich slowly, making small talk with his parents before broaching the subject of spending time at the Potter's, which they vetoed. Apparently, they were going on Holiday to Ireland for the Summer, and wanted their son to stay with them.

Peter, on the other hand, was getting a stern lecture about his grades from his father. At the end of it, he was sent to his room, with the instructions to review his entire years work, and do his Summer Work. There would be no visits for him either.

Later that afternoon, as Sirius finished up his work and sent his Owl off to James, Rory stood back, having finished her Suite. The sofas and chairs and chaise lounge were all black velvet that Rory fell in love with. The carpet was a red wine color, and the walls were silver with a black trim on the molding. The tables and desk were all black marble, as was the mantle over the fireplace. The Family Portrait hung just under the Potter Crest over the same mantle. Rory's bed was a four poster with a black sheer canopy and curtains, the sheets black and red wine satin. Shelves adorned all of the walls, decorated liberally with sculptures of wolves. The bath was all done in Black and White marble, with the tub the size of a small swimming pool. Rory smiled slightly as she looked around, pleased with how the room looked. She thanked the elves who had helped her and washed up quickly before making her way down to dinner, already starting to feel at home.


	14. Chapter 13

AN: Sorry. Things got nuts. I moved, and had a bunch of stuff going on, and then just could not get motivated again. BUT I am here now, and you get chapter 13. This chapter focuses mainly on Rory, James and Sirius, since Peter and Remus as punished and on Holiday, respectively. The reading might be a little slow going, but it'll pick up in chapter 14 and on. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and added this story to their alerts and favorite, I appreciate it.

Chapter Thirteen

Summer Changes

Rory sat at her desk, finishing up a potions assignment. The last few days at Potter Manor had been spent with her and James doing homework, James showing her around the Manor and generally settling in. The morning after they had come home from Hogwarts, Sirius sent James an Owl, stating he had finished his Holiday homework and wondering when would be a good time to come over.

James looked at his father after he read the letter, "I only have a couple of more essays to finish, and they're in subjects that Sirius is better in than me, so could he come over before I finish? Please?"

Charlus and Miriam exchanged a look before Miriam spoke, "James, we would be delighted for you to have young Master Black over, but it's only been a day since you've come home from school, and Rory is still settling in. I think it would be best if you waited another day or two, and then he could come by. How long did you want him to stay?"

James looked mildly uncomfortable. "Well, Mum…Sirius and his Family don't get along well at all. He and his mother especially. They're always trying to make him take more of an interest in the Dark Arts and such…"

Charlus interrupted him with a slight smile "If it is agreeable with Lord Black, whom I will ask when I see him at the Ministry later, Sirius may stay for the rest of the Summer." He held back a wider smile as James obviously looked relieved, "However, your Mother is right. The end of the week would be better, to allow a little more time for Aurora to settle into her new home." Turning to Rory, he asked "What about you? Would you like to ask any friends over?"

Rory took a sip of juice before answering "Actually, my friends Lily and Severus live in Surrey, and I was wondering if I could take the Knight Bus over there after my essays are done. Inviting them over might be a bad idea, since they don't get along well with James and Sirius, and I know Lily was saying she missed her parents over the year, since she stayed at school for Christmas. I mean, if that would be all right…"

Miriam nodded, after looking at Charlus for confirmation "That would be fine, dear. When your essays are finished, you can send an Owl to Lily…what is her last name?"

"Evans, she's a Muggleborn."

Charlus nodded, "Well, you have Muggle clothing, so that won't be a problem. I need to get to work, there have been more attacks and I'm needed there. Finish your essays and then maybe take a bit of a look around the Manor some more." He bent and kissed Miriam on the cheek and then apparated out.

The three finished their breakfast in near silence, each one thinking of their own things.

Rory shook herself from her flashback and focused on her essay. She frowned and stood, stretching as she walked over to a bookshelf, picking up her Potions book and flipping through it, looking up the properties of Sea Kelp when used in a Healing Salve. Potter Manor had a vast Library, rivaling even that of Hogwarts, and she had a large treasure trove of books from the Knight Library in the Family vault at Gringotts, but those were at the Bank, and she was not yet comfortable enough to take books from the Manor Library. Perhaps in a few days she would be. She wanted to run around the grounds more as well, she was itching to run through the forests. Rory frowned, wondering if Charlus and Miriam knew about her ability to transform at will. She was pretty sure she mentioned it at the Hearing, but couldn't remember.

Rory found the fact she was looking for, and copied it down, finishing her Potions Essay, and the last of her work. Biting her lip, she picked up a fresh piece of parchment and started writing, having been told she could visit Lily when her work was done.

_Dear Lily,_

_ How is your Holiday going so far? Were your parents pleased with your grades? I can't imagine them not being. I hope your Sister isn't giving you too much trouble. I've settled here into Potter Manor pretty well. I've finished my Holiday work, and was wondering if you would be okay with me visiting you in Surrey sometime this weekend? I'd invite you (and Severus) here, but James already invited Sirius, and I know you all don't get along (Understatement of the year, no?)_

_ Anyway, Celevon (the owl) will wait as long as you need her to for a reply. Hope to hear from you soon._

_ Rory._

Nodding in approval she attached the letter to her Owl's leg and stroked her feathers lightly before opening the window so she could head out. She straightened her room slightly before heading downstairs for lunch, smiling at James as she saw him exit his Suite from down the hallway. Sirius would be arriving in a few hours, after Dinner. She wouldn't admit it, but she was a bit nervous about him being there for the Summer, since she was still trying to work out her feelings for him. She knew she liked him, but wasn't really sure in what way. She was trying to work out if it was because she was grateful because of what he did for her on Christmas Eve, or if she really liked him. She frowned thoughtfully. When her Mother was alive, she would have been able to talk to her about it, but she wasn't, and Rory wasn't sure how comfortable she was with talking about Miriam. Besides, even if she did legitimately like Sirius, it couldn't go anywhere. The Law forbidding werewolves to marry had not been repealed.

At Black Manor, Sirius rubbed his eyes, sighing slightly. His cousins were over, talking secretively with Regulus, while his Aunt and Uncle talked with his mother about how they were considering disowning the oldest Black Daughter, Andromeda, for being involved with a Muggleborn. He looked at his watch, realizing that his Father would be taking him to Potter Manor in an hour or so, and smiled in relief, thinking back to a couple of days ago.

Sirius looked up at the House Elf, Kreacher, popped into his room, rasping out "Lord Black wishes Kreacher to tell Master Sirius he is wanted in the Sitting Room."

Sirius nodded and stood, immediately heading to where his Father was waiting. On his way, he met his Mother, who started berating him over wanting to leave for the Summer. He tuned her out as best he could, as he usually did, as they approached the Sitting Room door. He knocked and heard his Father say "Enter".

He stepped back to allow his Mother to enter first, as manners dictated, before stepping in himself and closing the door behind him. He sat when bade to do so and looked at his Father curiously, wishing he could ask why he had been summoned, but the Black Lord always insisted in being formal, even with his family.

"At the Ministry today, Charlus Potter approached me and told me that you had sent the Owl to spend some time there, and wanted to know when would be agreeable to come get you. I told him, and now I am telling you, that, if it were agreeable to him, I would bring you to Potter Manor myself on Saturday. He said that you were welcome to stay the entire Summer Holiday, if it was agreeable to me, and it is. I have already Owled your Head of House to inform her you will be spending the Holiday there, so your booklist can be delivered to the appropriate place. I will drop you off at Potter Manor Saturday, as agreed, at 7 o'clock in the evening, so as not to disrupt anyone's evening meal. Of course, that is provided you have finished your Holiday Schoolwork. Have you?"

Sirius looked up at his Father, fighting to keep the sheer joy from his face, since he knew if he appeared too happy, his Mother would trick him into doing something that would bar him from going. "Yes, Father, I've finished all of it, as I was instructed."

Orion looked at Walburga, noticing the sour look on her face. He was not as Dark as she was, and was proud of his son and Heir for being true to himself. He nodded "Very well. Make sure all of your belongings are packed by half past six on that evening. If you are not prepared to leave then, then you will forfeit this trip. You are dismissed."

Sirius had walked quickly from the room and packed almost immediately. Now, as he sat on his bed and waited, he practically willed time to go faster. When Bellatrix has shown up, she had sneered at him, and had said something about how he was associating with Animals, when her father had spoken up, rebuking her for speaking about the Head of the DMLE's adopted daughter, and reminding her how dangerous such a thing could be. She, and Narcissa, had ignored him since in favor of Regulus' company. Andromeda had been confined to her bedroom until it could be determined what to do with her, since only Lord of the Family could disown someone. Sirius sighed and settled back against his pillows, thinking of Rory. They had fought quite a bit over the last school year. Sirius knew that he liked her, and he knew that it was more than a crush, but didn't know how to handle feeling this way. He always seemed to put his foot in his mouth. He thought back to the first fight they had had, back when he and James found out she and Remus were werewolves. He thought about the first time he looked into her eyes, in that Potions Class. He felt his stomach tighten as he remembered the soul deep hurt that was reflected there. He remembered how he had wanted to do nothing more than hold her right then and there and say he was sorry. He wondered briefly what it would be like to kiss her. Her lips looked very soft and whenever she bit her lower one when she was thinking…

Sirius allowed himself to get lost in thought about Rory to pass the time, all the while wondering if he would ever ask her out.

Finally, Six Thirty chimed and Sirius grasped his trunk and brought it downstairs. Orion was waiting at the foot of the stairs and nodded in approval as he saw Sirius. He tapped Sirius' trunk with his wand, shrinking it, before holding out his arm and apparating the pair of them to Wales. They had a short walk ahead of them to reach the boundaries of Potter Manor.

At Potter Manor, the rest of the afternoon passed quickly. There was a Lake on the far side of the grounds, and after lunch Rory went up to her Suite, changed into a black one piece swimsuit, and went out to the Lake to Swim. James ventured out on the grounds, practicing flying. They stayed out there for most of the Afternoon, before going back inside to change for Dinner. Rory looked at her lunar chart, seeing that the Full Moon was a few days away. She wondered how she would cope after 9 months of having Remus there during her transformations.

Dinner was spent making small talk, the excitement Rory and James felt for the arrival of their friend nearly palpable. Charlus informed James that they would be leaving to meet Sirius and Lord Black shortly before 7. After Dinner, Rory busied herself by helping the House Elves tidy up, and then went to her Suite to pass the time, where she saw a letter from Lily waiting.

Eagerly opening the envelope, Rory read:

_Hey Rory,_

_ My parents were pretty thrilled with my grades. They took Petunia and I out to Dinner, and invited Sev along as well. I think my parents must have said something to her about her behavior, because she's pretty much ignored me since I got home, except for dirty looks. That's fine though, it's better than her saying mean things. She still spends a lot of time at Church though._

_ I asked my parents about you visiting, and they said next Saturday will be good, because we are going on a short trip until Friday. You're right, it would be better for you to come here, understatement of the year is right! I'll see you then!_

_ Lily._

Rory smiled before settling on the lounge to read a book, glancing at the clock every few minutes, nervously biting her lip.

Charlus and James walked down to the edge of the wards and then down a worn path to meet the Blacks. Charlus noticed that James seemed a bit nervous and asked him what was wrong.

James sighed "Well, you see, Sirius and I and Severus, Rory's friend, don't get along well at all, and…well…Whenever Rory and Severus hang around together, Sirius tends to get a bit...jealous. They had a few bad fights over it. I don't know if it's because we don't get along, or what, but I think Sirius might have a bit of a crush on Rory." James had been worrying about this quite a bit, since Sirius had accused Rory of being Dark earlier in the year.

Charlus nodded "Well, young witches and wizards do tend to get involved in relationships younger than their Muggle counterparts, so it could be possible…Do you think Rory likes him?"

James shrugged "I'm pretty sure she does. She was pretty hurt by a couple things he said, and I don't think she would be that hurt if she didn't have feelings for him. I'm just worried that if they _do _get together, and it doesn't work out, that it might make things strained for them."

Charlus nodded, and spoke quickly, seeing Sirius and his Father approaching, "Well, son, all you can do is wait and see. Whatever happens will happen."

Orion Black approached with Sirius in silence, seeing Charlus Potter talking with young James Potter. He felt a pang, as he and Sirius were not comfortable enough with each other to talk as they were. In fact, much of their time was spent in silence, and it pained the Lord Black more often than not. Extending his hand in greeting, Orion said "Lord Potter, I thank you for opening your home to my Heir for the Summer Holiday. It is my hope that our Heirs will remain as good of friends as they appear to be now."

Grasping Orion's hand, Charlus smiled in reply "The pleasure is mine, Lord Black. Both my son and my daughter are friends with your Heir, and as such he is will always find shelter here. Hello, Young Master Black, I trust the journey went well?"

Keeping a formal air about him, as his father had taught him, Sirius replied "Thank You, Lord Potter, it went very well. I am grateful to you for allowing me to stay."

After exchanging farewells with Lord Black, Charlus lead the boys back to Potter Manor, relaxing almost immediately after Orion apparated away. "Sirius, you'll find we're not formal here at all, unless the company calls for it. Please, call me either Charlus, or Mister Potter, and my wife is either Miriam or Mrs. Potter, whichever you prefer."

Sirius nodded, relieved. He had a feeling that the Potters would not stand on formality as much as the Blacks would, but it was still a relief to know for sure. Turning to James, he asked "How did you find the homework?"

James shrugged "Easy enough. I mean, we were both on the top ten, so it's not like it was going to be very difficult."

Sirius nodded "How's Rory? Is she doing all right?"

"As well as can be expected, I think. I'm pretty sure she hides it from me when she's crying or sad about her parents, but that's probably normal. She seems to be settling in well enough. She decorated her Suite and it looks pretty good, she has really good taste."

Sirius nodded relieved. He had thought a lot about his feelings regarding his female friend and knew he had a bit more than a crush on her. She evoked protective feelings in him, a desire to keep her safe and secure. But, he was only twelve, and didn't have the experience to deal with it in a way that was mature. Instead he lashed out at her, especially when he saw her spending a lot of time with Severus Snape. Even if he didn't admit it to others, he saw the young Slytherin as competition and wasn't sure what he would do if, at any point, Rory decided to date (Sirius shuddered mentally) Severus.

Sirius pushed his thoughts to one side as they approached Potter Manor. It was much brighter than Black Manor, which was very gloomy. The grounds were expansive; Sirius could see a large forest and a lake in the distance. It had Black Manor beat from every conceivable angle.

Rory smiled as a House Elf popped into her room and informed her that James and Charlus were back with Sirius. She placed her book to one side and ran out her room, black hair streaming behind her, and down the stairs. She stopped, breathless and pink cheeked, at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Now that all their Holiday work was finished, she was eager to spend her days swimming and running on the grounds with her new brother and their friend. Miriam looked over at her and merely smiled as Rory nervously ran a hand through her hair, making sure it was as neat as it could get, and smoothed out a wrinkle in her t-shirt.

The door opened and Charlus came in, closely followed by James and Sirius. When she saw Sirius, her breath caught. She had thought that maybe her crush on him had to do with what he did the night her parents died, and after some time apart, even if it was less than a week, the feelings would vanish and they would be only friends. Instead she found that there were butterflies in her stomach and her heart was beating a little faster than normal. Luckily, her heightened senses were telling her that Sirius was having a similar reaction.

Blushing, Rory went down the last few steps and smiled at Sirius, and was eternally grateful that her voice didn't waver in any way when she said "Hi, Sirius. I'm glad that you could come."

Sirius seemed to be staring at her, drinking her in. he didn't realize that he had missed her, specifically her rather than all his friends, while he was at home, but now all he wanted to do is hug her. Luckily, James spoke up before Sirius could do anything embarrassing. "Why don't we show Sirius up to the Guest room in my Suite, Rory?"

Miriam spoke, "That sounds like a good idea, James. We'll see you all in the morning."

Before she could stop herself, Rory reached forward and grasped Sirius' hand, saying as she did so "Come on, it's this way." Charlus resized Sirius trunk, and James carried it upstairs, since Sirius was his guest.

James frowned slightly at Rory holding Sirius' hand, but decided he would talk to Sirius in private. He didn't know if Sirius legitimately liked his new sister, but he knew she liked him and didn't want to see her get hurt.

They made it to James' Suite and Rory opened the door without letting go of Sirius' hand. It was done in Gryffindor Colors, scarlet and gold everywhere, and had Quidditch posted on almost every wall. The Guest Room was done in Scarlet and Gold as well, but less so. The windows were large and opened, allowing a breeze into the room. Rory let go of Sirius hand so he could look around. He looked and James and smiled a lopsided smile that sent Rory's pulse racing "Nice. Much better than the Slytherin Colors my mother insists on."

The trio laughed and helped Sirius unpack. Rory was putting Sirius' books on a nearby shelf when there was a knock at the door and Charlus poked his head in, smiling. "Hey. I have Quidditch tickets for next Saturday. Rory, I don't know if you like Quidditch, so I told the vendor I would get back to him about yours. Do you want to go too?"

Rory smiled back "Thank you, but I can't. I already told Lily I would visit her and Severus in Surrey on Saturday. Maybe next time?"

Charlus nodded, "That's fine. The game starts at one in the afternoon, so I can drop you in Surrey on our way." Seeing the kids all nod, he left.

Upon hearing Severus' name, Sirius scowled, but it was only a warning look from James kept him quiet. Rather than get into a fight with Rory his first night, he chose to just ignore her, causing James to sigh and Rory to look a little confused, then hurt, as the night went on.

After a few hours of this, Rory sighed and stood, "I guess I'll go to bed, since I'm obviously not wanted here by your guest. Goodnight James, Sirius." She hurried down the hall to her own Suite, sighing. She figured it was hearing that she'd be hanging around with Severus that caused Sirius' change in mood, but she wasn't going to stop seeing her friend just to appease someone else. She should have known Sirius would respond that way, but there was no reason for her to have to hide when she wanted to see her other friends. She sighed again, pushing aside the hurt she felt, and changed into a nightgown before crawling into bed.

As soon as the door closed behind his sister, James whirled to face Sirius "What is your problem? I thought you got over Rory hanging around with Severus?"

Sirius sighed "I know, and I did, while we're at Hogwarts…but knowing that she's going to hang around with him outside of school, I don't know. Never mind."

But James was unwilling to let it go that easily. Looking Sirius dead in the eyes he asked "Do you like Rory? As in a dating way?"

Sirius looked up, surprised, but then nodded "Yeah, I think I do, but I'm not sure. I feel about her they way you always say you feel about Evans."

James sighed "Then, Siri, you should stop being suck a prat to her, or else you won't even get that far. You'll lose her as a friend too."

With that, they two boys went to their respective rooms and went to bed.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Thunder Moon

The next day, Sirius woke early and apologized, again, to Rory for ignoring her. She accepted his apology, since he was visiting and she didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable, but she was still a little cool to him for the next couple of days.

Looking at her Lunar Chart after waking a couple days later, Rory bit back a sigh. Full Moon was that night. Her mind noted absently that July's Full Moon was always called the Thunder Moon. She figured she should sit and talk with Miriam and Charlus, just to make sure everyone was on the same page about her running through the grounds on the forest. Rory was also worried, though she'd yet to ask, about whether or not any people from the village a few miles away were found wandering onto the property. She didn't want to frighten some hapless Muggle, or worse, be caught unawares by one of the Wizards who made their living by killing werewolves for a bounty.

Shrugging, she decided she would deal with it when talking to Charlus and Miriam. She climbed out of bed and showered quickly before dressing in shorts and a tank top. Even though it was barely 9 in the morning, it was still already very hot outside. After running a brush quickly though her hair and putting on socks and trainers, she jogged lightly down the stairs, wondering if James and Sirius would be up for a swim in the Lake after Lunch.

Entering the Breakfast Nook, which is where they ate when it was just Family and Family Friends, Rory smiled at everyone. Even at Sirius, who looked surprised and then relieved, figuring she would stop being so cold to him now. She slid into her seat and spooned from strawberries onto her plate before looking at Charlus and saying "If you have time now, or later, I'd like to talk to you and Miriam about the Full Moon tonight, if that's okay?"

James looked up, startled. He'd forgotten the Full Moon was that night. Charlus and Miriam looked surprised as well, though it was because they had forgotten that Sirius was aware of Rory's Lycanthropy. Charlus nodded, "I have time now. I don't need to be at the Ministry until later this afternoon. What's on your mind, Aurora?"

Chewing a strawberry thoughtfully, Rory tried to put her thoughts into order so she could talk. Swallowing quickly, she started "Well, I know we already said that I'd be able to run in the Forest, as long as I don't go past the wards, but I was wondering…well, actually, I was worrying about it…how often to people end up roaming on the property? I know the village nearby is mostly Muggles, and I don't want to frighten someone out for a moonlight stroll."

Charlus thought for a few minutes before answering, "Well, the Muggles _do_ sometimes wander the forest, but not on our grounds, since we have Muggle repelling wards up to keep them away…but…there _are_ also Magical Families who live nearby, and I'm not sure if we'd have to worry about them. It was in the paper that we adopted you, though I'm not sure how many would know of your Lycanthropy. What exactly are you worried about?"

"Well, back before my parents…there used to be Wizards who would come around on the Full Moons and try and trap me, or attack me. I found out later that they made their living by killing Werewolves and collecting a Bounty from the Department for the Control for Magical Creatures, specifically Dolores Umbridge. I know she's only a secretary now, but I haven't seen anything about her 'Bounty Law' being repealed. That's what I'm worried about. I know that even if I'm defending myself against someone who means to kill me, as soon as that person gets injured, I can be taken to the Department for the Disposal of Magical Creatures and be, well…Disposed of."

James sat in his seat, silently eating. On looking at him, one would think he was simply listening to the conversation, but her was really thinking. He had an idea, but he couldn't bring it up now, he'd have to wait until tonight, when Rory wasn't around.

Charlus nodded, "It's a reasonable concern, but as long as you stay within the wards, you won't be in any danger, from either a Wizard or a Muggle. The Wards do not allow uninvited guests onto the grounds, so to get in they would have to take down the wards, which would take hours. Also, the wards a designed to send a Stunning Charm to any who attack them. The person doing so would be arrested and brought to trial. It wouldn't even matter if they were attempting to get at you for a bounty, they would be tried for attacking the residence of a Ministry Official. Feel better?"

Rory nodded, and breakfast continued. She looked over at James and Sirius, asking, "It's supposed to be prey warm out today, you guys fancy a swim in the Lake? It'll keep up cool, at least."

Sirius agreed quickly, eager to spend more time with Rory while they weren't fighting, and James quickly followed. The cleaned up from breakfast and quickly went upstairs to change into swimming clothes. Rory stood in front of her dresser, biting her lip thoughtfully. She had a few swimsuits to choose from, but she eventually decided on her favorite black one piece, grabbing a towel on the way and wrapping it around her waist while walking downstairs.

Seeing the two boys waiting for her at the foot of the stairs, with Sirius trying to not check her out, she grinned impishly and said, "Race you to the Lake!" before taking off on foot. After a few minutes, she heard them running behind her, and she laughed to herself. She knew they'd be slightly out of breath when they got there, but she wouldn't be.

Rory reached the lake a full minute before the two boys. The dropped to the edge of the water, red faced and panting, trying to catch their breath. When he could finally speak without gasping, Sirius looked at her and asked "How come you don't look like us?"

Feeling mischievous, she simply quirked an eyebrow and asked, amusement lacing her voice "Why, Sirius, has no one ever explained the difference between boys and girls to you?", which caused James to fall over in laughter and Sirius to blush slightly before rolling his eyes and saying "No, silly, I mean why aren't you all out of breath?"

Rory simply shrugged "Lycanthropy perk, I guess. Since I can control my transformations, I find that I keep some wolfish characteristics whenever I'm not transformed, and the closer to full moon, the more pronounced it is." The boys nodded, understanding, and the Rory untied her towel and dove into the Lake, James and Sirius quickly following.

Sirius found he was having a hard time controlling himself. He wanted to do nothing more than sit and watch Rory in the water. Being a Pureblood Wizard, he'd never really been around females who weren't covered from head to toe in Robes, and so was trying to keep from staring at Rory in her swimsuit. Even in the water, he could tell her body was lithe and athletic. She shook his head to clear it, deciding to push his budding feelings aside. If he were honest with himself, he knew his Mother would probably murder him in his sleep if he got romantically involved with a werewolf.

Rory, likewise, was in a similar dilemma. Despite being only a few months away from being Thirteen, Sirius was already rather well muscled. She was finding it difficult to not swim over and run her hands over his muscles, but she knew that doing so would be rather inappropriate. She had long resigned herself to not being involved with anyone, because of the werewolf laws against it. She sighed to herself and though that her plan for not letting her guard down again was not going too well.

After a few hours, the trio of friends grabbed their towels and dried off, heading back up to the Manor, walking this time, to change for Dinner. Even though it was very informal, since it was just them, showing up in their swimsuits would not be okay. Rory found herself wanting to dress a little nicely anyway, since she'd not had the chance to in a while. She donned a lightweight silver dress that tied around the back of her neck, and simple sandals. James and Sirius met her outside her door and they made their way down to Dinner together.

Charlus and Miriam were already seated, looking rather disturbed about something. James, of course, asked what was wrong and Charlus sighed, "This new Dark Lord, Voldemort…we think we assassinated a Ministry Department Head last night. Andrew Crane, the man who took over Dolores Umbridge's spot when she was demoted, was killed last night. His head was owled to the Minister herself this morning."

Rory gasped, the color feeling her face. She had never met the man who took over as Head of the Department for the Control of Magical Creatures, but she had read about his work in other countries, and knew he was widely considered fair. "So, does that mean Umbridge is going to get her job back?"

Charlus shook his head "No, Crane's assistant, who came over with him from the States, has taken the position, but it means that the Ministry is going to be stepping up their fight against this Dark Lord and his Followers. I was all three of you to be especially careful whenever you leave the grounds, is that understood? On the grounds, you should be safe, but it is very important that you inform either of us if you intend to leave the grounds for any reason, for even the smallest length of time. Understood?"

The three friends agreed quickly and Dinner past in Silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, the meal was over and Rory looked out the window before saying "The Moon will be rising soon. I should get outside."

Charlus and Miriam nodded, not really sure how to react. They had, of course, known Rory was a lycanthrope when they agree d to adopt her, but this was an entirely new situation to them. Rory, unfortunately, picked up on their discomfort and sighed, nodding and heading out to the grounds. She knew the Blood Adoption couldn't be reversed, but she still felt sad, thinking that their discomfort was due to the simple fact that she was a werewolf, instead of being unsure of how to deal with her transformations. She wandered into the woods until she was far enough away to not disturb the others when she transformed just as the moon rose.

Rory stood, her pale face turned toward the Silvery orb in the sky, her arms wrapped around her midsection as though she were hugging herself, as she felt the Change wash over her. In seconds it was over and in the place of a young girl stood the black Wolf. She stood still, feeling all the emotions she had suppressed since her parent's murder crash over her. The despair, the mourning, the rage, the terror, the desperate emptiness she felt at their loss, she let it all overtake her for a brief moment. She allowed her feelings for Sirius free range as well, including the aching sadness she felt, knowing that, of course, Heir to the Noble and Ancient House of Black would not want to be with a werewolf. All this flooded her consciousness and she threw back her head and howled as she did at every full moon. Usually her howls were filled with joy and exhilaration, but this time the song was mournful, sad and filled with loneliness. When the last note of her howl died, she ran. She ran through the forest, keeping away from the wards, until her sides heaved and she was exhausted. Then she curled up on a flat rock, near the Lake and closed her eyes, bathed in the moon's glow.

As Rory left the room, James excused himself quickly and beckoned Sirius to follow him. After they were shut up in James' Suite, the two boys sat down, and James turned to his friend and said excitedly. "I have an idea. You know how Rory and Remus are shut up in the Shack whenever they transform?" Sirius nodded, "Well, what if we were with them?"

Sirius looked at his friend with wide eyes "James…I know Remus and Rory would never hurt us, even if they were transformed, but don't you think it would be…well…not a good idea if we hung out with two werewolves during the Full Moon, and Peter would _never_ go for it. He still flinches if one of them moves too fast!"

James simply nodded "I know that, Siri…but...What if we became Animagi? Then it wouldn't be dangerous, because werewolves are only a danger to _humans._ So, what do you think?"

Sirius thought for a minute, but only for a minute. This, he thought, would be such an excellent prank, to become unregistered Animagi, right under the noses of the teacher. He looked at James, smirking "I'm in."

The two boys spent the rest of the night in the Potter Library, looking up everything they could. They agreed not to let Rory or Remus know what they were doing, because they doubted either one would let them. They had looked up briefly, when they heard the Howl that they knew had to come from Rory, and even they heard the loneliness in it, and it fueled their desire to see this through to the end.

As dawn broke over the grounds of Potter Manor, Rory transformed back into her human self, stretching as she did so. She sat for a minute, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and watching the sunrise before making her way back up to the Manor for a shower. She smiles wanly at Charlus and Miriam when she saw them, and assured them she'd be find after a shower. She got a surprise though, before she made it to her Suite. James and Sirius were standing at the top of the stairs, waiting for her. As she looked at them curiously, they both hugged her, making her squeak slightly before they made their way down to breakfast, leaving her bewildered. After a moment, she shrugged and went to dress.

The rest of the week passed uneventfully. Charlus had bought James a broom, as he had promised he would if his grades were good enough, and Miriam took Rory shopping as a reward for being second in the year. She also brought herself a broom, and Sirius bought himself one as well, and they spend some time flying, as James wanted to try out for a Quidditch team next year.

When Saturday rolled around, Rory jumped out of bed excitedly, eager to see her friends. She showered and dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, making sure there was nothing even remotely witchy about her outfit and ate breakfast. She tried engaging James and Sirius in conversation, but James was too excited about the Quidditch match, and Sirius was being sullen about her hanging around with Severus.

At a few minutes before one, Charlus appareted them all to a park in Surrey. Rory had Owled Lily the day before to let her know what time she would be arriving. Rory lead the way to the Evans house, using the directions that Lily had given her, and they soon found themselves in front of a nicely painted, neat little house with a pretty garden in front. Politely, Rory knocked on the door, and Lily answered. After introducing himself and telling Rory he would pick her up around six, he left with James and Sirius.

Lily invited Rory in, talking excitedly "Petunia is out for the day, I don't know where. She heard one of my "freaky friends" was coming by and didn't want to be here. Severus should be here soon and my parents are just at the grocers picking up some food."

"How was your Holiday, where did you go?"

"Oh, it was great! We went to Ireland, and we saw Remus Lupin there. He seemed kind of lonely though, and said they were coming back at the end middle of August."

"You saw Remus? He told us he was going on Holiday, but didn't say where. If I had known where he was going, I'd have sent him an Owl…"

Severus showed up and his appearance made Rory blink in surprise. She knew, obviously, that not everyone could have much money, but there was a palpable aura of misery surrounding her friend, and she wondered what was wrong. When she asked, however, Severus just shrugged and said it was family stuff at his house. A quick look at Lily told her not to pursue it. They spent the day hanging around in the park and playing games, and Mr. and Mrs. Evans spent some time asking her questions about school and such. Petunia came home about a half hour before Rory was due to leave and the altercation was…less than pleasant.

She huffed into the living room and narrowed her eyes when she saw Rory and Severus sitting there. Glaring at Lily, she said "I thought I said your freaky friends had to leave before I came home? Vernon's going to be here soon and I don't want him to see how…abnormal you are, and the evil people who hang around with."

Lily opened her mouth to retort; looking upset and offended, but was stopped by Rory, who asked "Who's Vernon? Your _boyfriend_?"

Petunia took a step back, her face reddening slightly, and Rory quirked an eyebrow at Lily, who shook her head "Vernon Dursley is someone who Petunia goes to school with. He's some bigshot Rugby player a few years older than her. She likes him."

At this point, Petunia launched into a tirade about evil witches and unnaturalness. Lily looked upset, Severus a little angry, while Rory just looked amused. Mr. Evans cut her off before she got too angry "Petunia Evans that is enough. Phone Vernon and inform him that tonight is not a good night for company, and then go to your room. I will be up to speak to you later."

Mrs. Evans apologized, which Rory accepted graciously before turning to Lily and whispering "She's jealous, you know that right?"

Lily nodded, still looking sad, and after a few more minutes of conversation, Charlus came to pick up Rory. Hugging Lily and (to Sirius' displeasure) Severus goodbye, she promised to owl soon and they made tentative plans to spend a day at Potter Manor, even though they all know that it wouldn't happen.

Charlus apparated them home and James talked about the Quidditch match. Sirius was silent, but this time Rory didn't bother to try and draw him into conversation. He would either get over it, or he wouldn't. Time would tell.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Summer and School Blues and Remembrances

The rest of the summer was fairly uneventful. Charlus and Miriam took the siblings and Sirius to Diagon Alley for their school supplies. Rory has seen Severus and Lily at Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, but only had time to smile and wave. Sirius had been distant from her since she had come back from visiting on that Saturday, and Rory chose to simply let him be. She looked over at her friend, sighing sadly to herself and wondering if things would stay this way. She thought back to a conversation she and James had a little more than a week after she had the visit had happened.

_ James had knocked lightly on the door to her Suite while Sirius was writing an Owl to his Father, as he did every couple of days. Rory opened the door and let him in, looking curious as James almost never came into her Suite. He looked a bit uncomfortable, so she decided to start talking before he lost his nerve._

"_So, what's up?"_

_James sighed. "You and Sirius are fighting again."_

_Rory shook her head, "No, not really. He's been avoiding me since he saw me hug Severus. I spent too much time fighting with him over me being friends with him last year and I can't keep doing it, James. It's not fair. I enjoy being friends with Lily and Severus, and I shouldn't have to continuously defend my friendship with him. I'm not going to stop being friends with Severus unless I have a very good reason, and if Sirius can't accept that, then I'm sorry."_

_James nodded, "It's just…I don't like seeing you guys fight."_

_Rory just shrugged, "Then I suggest you talk to Sirius and get him to figure out whether he can be my friend and accept that I'm also friends with Severus. I'm not asking any of you to be his friend, I'm asking him to accept that I am."_

That conversation had happened a few weeks ago. Rory had no idea whether or not James and Sirius had talked, as it hadn't been mentioned again, but Sirius showed no signs of approaching her soon and so Rory decided to take the proverbial hint and realize the friendship was over. She's cried herself to sleep that night. After a decade of being branded a monster and having no friends, the ones she had managed to make, especially the ones that knew about her Lycanthropy, had come to mean the world to her. That friendship coming to an end hurt dreadfully. She had spent more time over in Surrey with Lily and Severus, going there at least twice a week, and after she came home each time, Sirius would be more and more distant, until he was not speaking to her at all, or even acknowledging she was there.

When the night before they were due to go back to Hogwarts rolled around, and Sirius still hadn't spoken to her, Rory decided she needed to take the initiative. She squared her shoulders, brushing aside her hurt and feelings for (what she was sure was) her former friend, and knocked on the door firmly. James answered, looking curious, then worried as he saw the look on his sister's face, but stood aside to let her in. He closed the door and leaned against it, eyebrows drawn together in a worried frown as Rory approached Sirius, who showed no signs of acknowledging her.

Rory didn't bother trying to get his attention; she simply said what she had to say. "I can take a hint, you know. I know that, for whatever reason, you've decided you don't want to be my friend anymore. Fine, if this is how you're going to act whenever I hang around with Severus, then I don't need your friendship anyway." She barely noticed Sirius looking up, pale, or the distressed look in his eyes as he heard the unwavering, calm tone of her voice and as he realized that she was serious, his petulant ignoring of her had effectively ended a friendship that was great. She simply kept talking. "What I want you to know is that if you decide to be vindictive and tell the School about me being a werewolf, you'll also be telling them that Remus is as well, since it won't take much for the people in Gryffindor, especially, to realize that we always disappear together on the Full Moons. So before you decide to spread it around, since we're not friends anymore, just think about that."

Without giving Sirius a chance to respond, Rory turned and left the room, with her head held high, glad that she had managed to say what she needed to without crying or showing him how much it had hurt. The only one who did see it was James, who knew that this was Sirius' mess and he would have to get out of it. He had sat back while Rory had spoken, wanting to say something but knowing it wasn't it place. He and Sirius _had_ spoken about him being distant, and Sirius had admitted to feeling something for his sister, and seeing her Slytherin friend as competition. He had also admitted that he couldn't risk appearing too interested in her until he was either of age, or his Mother had died. Sirius has stated he needed time to figure out how to deal with what he was feeling, but from what James just saw, time had run out.

As Rory walked by James, he put a hand on her elbow to slow her, leaning over and asking if she was okay. His heart almost broke for her when she gave him a sad little smile, shrugged and said, "I'm used to it. I'll be fine."

As the door clicked closed behind her, Sirius banged his head on the table in front of him, muttering "I'm a bloody idiot."

James rolled his eyes, really not in to mood to mince words with his friend "Yes. You are. I don't think she's going to forgive you this time, Sirius. You've been ignoring her for weeks."

Sirius sighed "I know. I know." He looked up at his best friend, his stormy grey eyes haunted and heartbroken. His voice wavered slightly as he spoke, an admission that had been steadily coming since Christmas, one that he knew that now he would never get the chance to act on. "James, I think I'm in love with her."

Rory managed to hold back her tears until she made it into her Suite. She closed the door softly behind her before leaning against it and sinking onto the plush carpet. She drew her knees up to her chest and cried, resting her head on her knees. She was wearing a long sleeved shirt over shorts, not because it was chilly, but because she had brought out the Silver knife again, and needed to hide the cuts it left. At Hogwarts she would have the robes to hide in. But for now she just sat against the door, crying softly.

A soft knock at the door made her stand up, wiping her eyes. She opened the door and saw Miriam standing there, looking worried and concerned, even more so after looking at her adopted daughter's tear streaked face.

"Aurora, may I come in?"

Rory stepped aside to allow Miriam in and invited her to sit, wondering what she wanted. Charlus and Miriam still seemed a little uncomfortable around her, though Rory figured it really was to be expected. She hadn't grown up with them, she had suffered a devastating loss, which was the catalyst for her being adopted, and she was a werewolf. Merlin, in their shoes, she would be uncomfortable too.

Miriam idly waved her wand and conjured a tea set with biscuits, gesturing for Rory to sit across from her. While she was pouring the tea, Miriam asked her adopted daughter "Have you got everything packed for School?" Rory nodded, accepting a small cup of tea "Yes. I just have to make a last minute check, but I'm pretty sure I have everything."

Miriam nodded, sipping her tea before getting to the reason she was there "Your…well, Charlus and I have noticed that you and Sirius seem to not be getting along. Do you want to talk about it?"

Rory sighed, trying to gather her thoughts. She sipped her tea quietly, her eyebrows drawn together in a thoughtful frown, while Miriam waited patiently. Finally, after a few minutes, Rory decided to speak. If they were going to be a Family, if she were going to be accepted, she couldn't keep things bottled up. Charlus and Miriam were her parents now, she had long accepted that, and while she knew she would never forget the parents who had been so cruelly taken from her, she knew they would want her to move on and accept the Potters as parents in every way. So she did. Taking a deep breath, she started talking.

"Mum, he's just so confusing!" Miriam was slightly taken aback at the use of the work Mum, since Rory had always called them by their given names, but didn't interrupt. "You know my friend Severus, the one who lives near Lily in Surrey?" Miriam nodded "Well, he's a Slytherin, and Sirius _hates_ him. I mean, Severus isn't too fond of Sirius either, but that's not the point. They don't get along at all, but Severus accepts that Sirius is my friend. He doesn't get along with James, Remus, or Peter either, but accepts that James is my brother and the others are my friends. James, Remus and Peter all accept that I'm friends with Severus. They don't like it, but they accept it. But Sirius… it's like he can't see past the fact that Sev is a Slytherin, and every single time he sees me with him he gets mad. Last year, we had a fair few large rows over it, and he's barely spoken to me since I got back from Surrey at the beginning of the summer."

Miriam nodded, listening, and decided to ask a question "Does Severus know about your Lycanthropy?"

Rory shook her head "No. Remus and I hadn't planned on telling _anyone_, but after the first full moon, James and Sirius saw us from their dorm, and heard Remus and Professor Dumbledore talking about it." She quickly explained what has transpired between Remus and herself on that first full moon. "And honestly, they didn't even speak to us for weeks on end, so I don't know how Severus, or Lily, would react. Lily I think would be all right with it after a while, but I have no idea about Severus. It's just; this thing with Sirius is maddening. He can be so…"She trailed off, blushing, before continuing, "But whenever he sees me with Severus, he becomes this entirely different person. But this summer was really worse, with him barely even speaking to me. Just a little while ago I went into James' Suite and told him I could take a hint that I knew he didn't want to be friends anymore." Tears sparked, unbidden, into her eyes and she brushed them away, annoyed.

Miriam watched her daughter's reaction closely. She had watched the three teenagers over the Summer and could easily pick up the Sirius had some manner of feelings for Rory, but now she was thinking that those feelings were reciprocated, and that Sirius was jealous over this young man. Taking another small sip of her tea, Miriam asked "Do you like Sirius?"

Rory sighed, deciding to be utterly hones and said, "Mum, it's so much more than that. I think I might honestly be in love with the annoying idiot." Causing Miriam to chuckle slightly, but fall into silence as Rory shook her head "It's utterly stupid of course. I'm a werewolf, and he's the Heir to a Noble and Ancient House. There's no way there could be anything aside of friendship between us, even if it were legally allowed. Besides, in a couple of years, he could have his pick of almost any girl at Hogwarts. I doubt I'd even be a blip on the radar. On top of that, his Parents are not the most open minded of people, and I doubt would be full of cheer if she brought a werewolf home, even as a friend."

Miriam pursed her lips, wanting to tell her daughter that she was wrong, but she couldn't. Her Husband was the Head of the DMLE, she knew the laws as well as he did. She also knew about Orion and Walburga Black, and knew that Rory was right. She sighed, saying, "Maybe Sirius is jealous of your friendship with Severus?"

Rory shrugged, thinking back over their arguments over the year. Particularly the first major one, where he had called her Dark. "Maybe. But he's said some pretty hurtful things. He'd always apologize afterwards, but if that's how he acts when he's jealous, I think leaving him alone until he grows up is smart."

Miriam nodded "Well, I can't argue with that. So, what are you going to do?"

Rory sighed "Well, I'll still hang around Severus, and James and Remus and Peter, and Sirius, since they're all friends…but I don't think I'll have much to do with Sirius otherwise. At least not until he figures out what he wants.

The two talked for a while longer, bonding a little, and then Miriam bade Rory good night and she climbed into bed. Rather than falling asleep, she looked out at the sky for a little while, before her eyes drifted closed.

The next morning everyone awoke early, and there was a bit of a mad dash around the Manor as everyone made sure they got all of the things they needed. Rory noticed Sirius looking at her, but she didn't have much time to spare for him.

Finally, at 10:30, Charlus held out a Portkey that would take them all to Platform 9 3/4. By some strange coincidence, they landed right next to Remus and his parents, with Peter and his family making an appearance within minutes. The Five friends all talked amongst themselves, exchanging stories of their Holiday and such as they said goodbye to their parents, promised to write (Remus), swore to behave (James and Sirius), promised to try and do better in school (Peter) and to be careful (all of them). They dragged their trunks onto the Express, Rory hesitating at the compartment the Marauders' had selected, unsure about whether or not she should go in.

Deciding that she missed spending time with Remus and Peter, she sat down, after taking out her robes and stowing her trunk on a shelf. She talked quietly with Remus and Peter, and didn't really talk much to Sirius, which all the other boys noticed. After a few hours, the two werewolves of the group pulled out books to prepare for their classes and Peter watched James and Sirius play Exploding Snap. Lily and Severus walked by the compartment, waving at Rory when they saw her inside, and they all got something from the Trolley when it came by, but most of the train ride was spent making small talk and jokes.

Sirius spent some time trying to get Rory's attention, only to discover that she apparently meant what she said. He sighed to himself, knowing he would have a hell of a time making this up to her and getting her to be his friend again, and knowing it was his own damned fault.

They made it to Hogwarts, riding in the carriages and watching as Regulus was Sorted into Slytherin, much to Sirius' chagrin. Rory sat next to Lily, but they didn't have much more to talk about, as they saw each other fairly often over the summer. Bellatrix was at the Ravenclaw table, glaring in her direction, still obviously holding a grudge. After the Feast, the students all climbed up into their dorms. In the Gryffindor Common Room, Sirius waited until everyone by Rory and the Marauder's had gone up to bed and opened his mouth, only to be cut off by Rory "Well, I'm knackered. It's been a long day; I'll see you guys in the morning."

As he watched her walk up the stairs to the Girl's Dorm without even a glance in his direction, Sirius flopped onto a chair as James explained what had happened when Remus asked.

Remus rolled his eyes and looked at Sirius. "You'd think you'd have learned from last year. She's not going to stop being friends with Severus, but it looks like she's going to stop being friends with you. And I can't say you don't deserve it."

Sirius sighed "I know. I have to find a way to fix this. I _will_ find a way to fix this."

Rory walked into her room, smiling at Alice and Mary before moving over to her bed and falling on it. Lily's face appeared over hers, her eyebrow raised. "Are you and Black fighting _again?_" Rory only nodded before explaining what happened.

When she was finished, Lily looked concerned. "Rory…Severus doesn't have many friends…and…" She trailed off, looking uncomfortable. Rory smiled a bit "Don't worry. I don't have any intention of not being friends with Severus anymore, unless I have a good reason."

Lily nodded, looking reassured, and they all went to bed.

Classes started the next day, with Transfiguration for the Gryffindor and Slytherin Second Years. Rather than sit with Remus, Rory sat with Lily and Severus. Remus had asked her at Breakfast if she could be friends with Sirius ever again, and she had honestly answered "I don't know."

The following days and weeks passed quickly, with Rory spending time equally with the Marauders and Lily and Severus, though she was still ignoring Sirius for the most part. He had tried drawing her into conversation a few times, but her responses were always brief and cool. The first Full Moon of the year came and went without incident, with James and Sirius filling Peter in on the plan to become Animagi. Peter was a little reluctant, since Transfiguration was not his best subject, but upon being reassured that the others would help him, he agreed and they spend the night being brought up to speed on what had been learned over the Summer. James tried out for the Quidditch Team, being made First Reserve Chaser. When two of the Chasers left at the end of the year, he would become a starting Chaser.

Gradually, Sirius stopped trying to draw Rory into conversation, though he still stole glances at her whenever he could. James, Rory's and Sirius' birthdays all passed with little fan fare, just a brief "Happy Birthday" exchanged. Christmas was drawing closer, and with it, Rory's mood was getting darker. Her friends all understood, of course, since Christmas Eve was when her parents had been killed. No matter how much her friends tried, they couldn't bring her out of her sadness. She offered them wan smiles when they tried though, and eventually they settled for just being there for her.

They all stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas, having Owl Ordered presents for everyone they needed to. After much deliberation, Rory had bought Sirius a present, a simple Gryffindor figure that moved that she had seen in a catalogue.

Christmas Eve was rough on Rory. She tossed and turned, plagued by nightmares of the night her parents died. She woke in a cold sweat again and again. Finally at around 5 in the Morning she gave up, simply laying in bed and looking out at the lightening sky. When she heard movement downstairs, she grabbed her robe and went down to the Common Room, where the Marauder's were gathered. James and Sirius noted Rory's pale face and the circles under her eyes, but didn't say anything. She was subdued throughout the present opening, but managed a few smiles.

Sirius was seated across the room from her, watching her carefully. He was worried, since it looked like she had barely slept. He smiled happily when he saw her present to him, as he'd been unsure as to whether she would get him one. He smiled when he unwrapped the small figurine and watched it move. He had what was really a ridiculous amount of Gryffindor Pride, so it really was a perfect present. He bit his lip nervously. He was glad he had bought her a present, but he was unsure what she'd think of it. He knew she was proud of her Lycanthropy, and had an affinity for wolves, along with many wolf figurines and such in her room, so he thought he made a good choice.

Rory had one present left to open, looking at the tag, she was surprised to see it was from Sirius. She opened the wrapping slowly, revealing a pair of sticks with pewter wolf heads on them. Hanging from the wolf's ears were strings of turquoise stones. She looked up at Sirius, a questioning look on her face. "They go in your hair…when you put it up, in a ponytail, or bun, or whatever, you stick them in, and the turquoise hangs down…" Nodding her understanding, she offered him a small smile "Thank you."

The friends all separated to dress, Rory dressing in a black velvet skirt paired with a scarlet top, with a pair of heeled ankle length boots. The clothing clung to her still developing curves nicely. She stood in front of the mirror and piled her hair into a ponytail set at the crown of her head. After securing the tousled mass, she picked up the hair sticks Sirius had gotten her, putting them in and looking at how they looked. She liked how the turquoise looked against her hair. Rory sighed softly, putting on a bit of lip gloss. She really missed him. Maybe she should try and talk to him a little more.

After she finished dressing, Rory headed downstairs to the Common Room to meet the Marauders for breakfast. Looking around, she saw that Sirius was there alone. She cleared her throat softly, feeling a little self-conscious. He turned to look at her, his face lighting up when he saw she wore his present, making her smile softly, her heart aching for him.

Sirius turned at the sound of a throat clearing and saw Rory standing there. He knew he looked overjoyed when he saw she wore his Christmas Present and wanted nothing more than to cross the room and envelope her in his arms like he had on Christmas the previous year. But he didn't, he just looked at her, saw her smiling a little and wished more than anything else that he hadn't been so mean to her over the summer. Even if she forgave him, he knew she wouldn't forget about it, and he knew it would color the friendship between them.

And he hated himself for it.


	17. Chapter 16

AN: This chapter spans a couple of years, since there's really not too much that would go on with everyone, at least until Fourth Year.

Chapter Sixteen

Animagi and Hormones.

After Christmas, things thawed slightly between Rory and Sirius, though by no stretch of the imagination could they be called 'okay'. Rory was civil, no longer ignoring him at every turn, but she didn't seek him out either, and she always left the room quickly if she found herself alone with him.

She had hoped that distancing herself this way would squash the feelings she had for him, but if anything it made them worse. For the rest of the year, Rory had to often bite her tongue to keep from spilling how she felt about him to anyone, determined to keep it a secret. Especially from Sirius himself.

Sirius, likewise, was in a similar situation. Ecstatic though he was when Rory warmed to him, he knew it would be a long ways until things were as they used to be. He threw himself into his study of becoming an Animagus, having somehow gotten it into his head that if he could do this, Rory and he would be the friends they used to be again. He and James had to assist Peter every step of the way, since he really was atrocious at Transfiguration, but they all managed to keep it Secret from Rory and Remus, much to their combined relief.

Remus managed to fully control his transformations during the full moon, but was still repressing the Wolf at all other times. When Rory tried talking to him about it, he simply said he couldn't fathom being able to transform all the time, and was afraid to try. She didn't push, knowing that it was a huge step. He hadn't yet been around another human during the height of the full moon, but his progress was still amazing.

Second year continued in the same vein. No parental deaths, no adoptions, no crazy Ministry Official determined to kill one of them. Lily was top in the year again, with Rory second again. The other rankings of their friends remained the same, with the exception of Peter, who with Rory's intense tutoring had made it to 19th in the year. Not the top ten, by far, but better than the 36th in the year he was before. The only other noteworthy occurrence was when the Late Andrew Crane's assistant, a Benjamin Barker, managed to get a number of the Werewolf Laws repealed, including the one that forbade werewolves from Marrying. Rory stamped down on the emotions she had felt when she read that, knowing that even if the Ministry allowed it, Sirius' Family never would.

Summer passed the same as the precious one, except Sirius spent a month at home before coming to Potter Manor, and Charlus and Miriam both became much closer to Rory. Remus spent a Full Moon at Potter Manor and experienced the joy of running through the forest on the grounds, while his parents fretted inside, despite the Elder Potters trying to put their minds at ease. There were many visits to Surrey as well, with Rory having met Vernon on one memorable occasion. From what Lily had said in her next letter, her parents had been livid with Petunia, and forbidden Vernon from entering their home again. Needless to say, this did not improve relations between the two sisters.

Unplanned by any except themselves, Orion Black had taken Sirius to Gringotts and gotten him a Black Family Ring, signifying that he was the Heir Apparent to the Black Family, and only Sirius' death could change that. When Walburga found out, she raged so much that Orion had backhanded her, surprising them both. When he had to 'reprimand' her, Orion normally used magic. Sirius found out that Voldemort had made overtures to his Father, with Lord Black deigning to remain Neutral, much to the Dark Lord's dissatisfaction.

Sirius had also spoken to his Father, using purely hypothetical terms, about his feelings for Rory. His father had said he was not planning on arranging any marriage contracts regarding Sirius, preferring he marry for love, but if he were planning on marrying one afflicted as such, he would be better off waiting until his death, so his Mother could not contest it, as Sirius would have become Lord Black. As far as Dating went, Sirius was free to do as he pleased, provided precautions were taken against any surprises.

Knowing that his Father would not fight him, and he was Officially Heir Apparent, lifted a large weight of off Sirius' shoulders, and he threw himself even more into becoming an Animagus, deciding that when he achieved the transformation, then he would ask Rory out.

They had all selected their electives, with Rory, Remus, Lily, Sirius, Severus, and James taking Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Care of Magical Creatures, while Peter took Care of Magical Creatures, and Muggle Studies. Rory and Remus spoke to Professor Kettleburn, the Care of Magical Creatures Professor, who assured them that they would not be working with any creature that had a known aggression towards Werewolves. At least not until NEWTs.

At the beginning of Third Year, James, Sirius and Peter took the potion which would reveal their Animagus forms. They did this during the full moon, so that Remus wouldn't find out, since Frank Longbottom, their other roommate, was a notoriously heavy sleeper. James discovered he was a Stag, Sirius discovered he was a large, grim-like dog (Which he found very fitting, as the girl he loved was a Werewolf), and Peter found he was a rat. Thus Prongs, Padfoot and Wormtail were born.

Of course, the three friends now knew they would have to come clean to Rory and Remus about what they had been doing. They put it off though, until they managed to actually transform.

During all of this, James kept trying to get Lily to notice him by being a prat whenever she was around. Remus didn't seem to have any interest in dating, while Peter had been spectacularly rejected by Mary MacDonald, causing much of the Common Room to laugh at him, but also causing Rory to prank Mary's shampoo with a potion that made her hair fall out, and would not allow it to be regrown with magic. Mary knew she had done it, and correctly guessed that it was because of how she had treated Peter, and so nothing was said about it. Mary avoided Rory from then on.

Lily dated a bit, making James nuts (not that she cared). While Severus and Rory got closer, though it was in friendship only. Rory knew Severus was in love with Lily, but she cared for her friend too much to tell him that Lily didn't feel the same, at least not in the way he wanted her to.

From the Middle of the year on, Rory would not be around Sirius in any manner. She couldn't do it, it simply hurt too much. James and Rory had been walking back from the Library, talking about Easter plans, when they had heard something coming from behind one of the Tapestries hanging in the hallway near Gryffindor Tower. Figuring that there were a couple of people behind there snogging, probably Gryffindor's, James pulled the tapestry back. Sirius and a Hufflepuff who's name Rory didn't know came tumbling out and landed on the floor, Rory's heart tumbling next to them. She sneered at Sirius as he heart broke into pieces and from then on, refused to even look at him. Of course, the relationship with the Hufflepuff didn't last long, and a string of girls followed, stabbing Rory's heart each time she saw a new girl holding Sirius' hand.

Pranks between Sirius, James and Severus escalated, with Lily and Rory retaliating against the Marauder's every time. A record number of detentions were given to James and Sirius, but the others managed to avoid them. However, Lily and Severus were having their fair share of rows as well. Many of Severus' Slytherin housemates were interested in becoming Death Eaters, and would make a habit of focusing pranks and insults towards Lily and any other Muggleborn. If Severus were standing nearby, he never spoke up, despite Lily still defending him against the Marauders. It caused a steady strain on their friendship.

The year was marked by deaths and disappearances in the Daily Prophet, all being attributed to Voldemort and his Death Eaters. People were becoming steadily more afraid as more and more attacks occurred.

The summer following Third Year saw a change in Rory. She wasn't as cheery as she had been in previous Summer's, and Sirius didn't come by and stay for most of the Holiday, instead arriving around the middle of August, two weeks before Hogwarts was due to open again. Rory was polite, as he was a guest, but other than that she avoided him. Even after a few months, it hurt too much to be around him. She still wore his Christmas present in her hair every day though.

It was just before Halloween on Fourth Year when it happened. Rory and Remus were, of course, in the Shrieking Shack for the Full Moon. James, Sirius, and Peter had snuck out after Curfew, taking over an abandoned classroom. They had transformed pieces over the last year, but tonight were planning the whole thing.

Sirius was desperate to get the transformation right. He knew he wanted to be with Rory, but wasn't planning on sitting around while she ignored him. That was why none of the 'relationships' he was in lasted more than a week, and never went past simple snogging. Of course, he didn't realize that Rory felt strongly for him. If he had, he would have waited.

James achieved the transformation first, followed quickly by Sirius. Prongs and Padfoot stood where two 15 year old boys had been previously and after 20 agonizing minutes, Wormtail joined them. The boys pranced around the room for a while before changing back and sneaking back to Gryffindor Tower, elated that they had achieved their goal.

The next day, Halloween, James dragged Rory and Remus to the same classroom and locked the door. He saw the glare that Rory gave Sirius and how she moved to sit across the room from him, thinking this was some way to get her to stop ignoring him.

James started "We have something to tell you and Remus." The pair looked up, surprised, but for different reasons. Rory because she was wrong about his reason; Remus because his mind was coming up with worst case scenarios. James took a deep breath and continued, "I had an idea before Second Year, and we've been working on it ever since. Sirius, Peter and I became Animagi. I'm Prongs, Sirius is Padfoot and Peter is Wormtail."

The three boys all transformed in front of the werewolves. They had decided before letting them know, that Remus would be Moony, and Rory would be Silver, for her eyes. After transforming back, James smiled and said "Well, what do you think?"

Rory and Remus exchanged incredulous looks before Rory stood up, angry "Why would you do this on your own? You all could have been seriously hurt, and no one would have known where to find you!"

It was Sirius who answered, speaking directly to her (and having her listen) for the first time in almost 7 months "We wanted to be around you guys, you know, when you transform." Rory blinked, surprised, before shaking her head and attempting to leave the room.

Sirius cursed to himself and ran towards her, grabbing her arm. When Rory turned around to snarl at him, he simply looked in her eyes and said "Don't go. I miss you."

Remus, James and Peter walked to the other side of the room, knowing this could get ugly and talking amongst themselves about what the three Marauders had done.

Rory narrowed her eyes, glaring at Sirius as she yanked her arm free from his grasp "Oh, I'm sure you can find someone to go snog so you won't miss me for too long." She ignored the familiar pang in her heart, she brushed aside the butterflies in her stomach that had erupted there when Sirius touched her, she paid none of it any mind, focusing instead on the heartbreak she had suffered the last few months. "Or maybe you could find a few; after all, you don't seem to keep one around for very long before moving on!" She turned, pulling out her wand to unlock the door when Sirius grabbed her again, stretching her nerves and patience past the breaking point. She spun to face him, sending a stinging hex at him. She heard him yell out at it hit and he jumped back, looking at her with wide eyes. Rory swallowed past the lump in her throat, simply shaking her head, years of keeping her feelings for him to herself taking their toll finally. Her eyes filled with tears and she choked out, before she could help herself, "How can you go through them so quickly, when I'd have given _anything_ to be in their place?"

The other Marauders stood on the other side of the room, silent, not wanting to interrupt, while Sirius looked at Rory with wide eyes. Had she really just said what he thought she did? He carefully took a step towards her, barely seeing James lead Peter and Remus out of the room so they could have some privacy, and asked quietly "What do you mean?"

Rory gave a bitter laugh, wiping her eyes before pushing him and saying "You are what I mean! You have a different girl on your arm every week, when I've been in love with you since first year." No sooner were the words out of her mouth than she clapped a hand to her face, her skin paling dramatically. She had never intended to tell him. She had to get out of there. She turned, intending to bolt, when suddenly Sirius had his arms around her, holding her almost the same way he had when her parents had been killed, smoothing his hands over her hair and she couldn't hold it back anymore. She leaned against him, hot tears leaking from under her eyes, biting her lip to keep from sobbing.

Sirius placed his hands on either side of her face, his heart thudding in his chest. She loved him, he couldn't believe it, and he'd never known. He tilted her up to face him, hating himself for making her cry, and kissed her. He kissed her like he'd wanted to kiss her for at least the last two years, pressing his lips against hers and wrapping on arm around his waist, curling the other in her hair, deepening the kiss when he felt her relax in his arms.

When she felt Sirius lips against hers, time stopped. She melted against him, wrapping her arms around his neck before reality set in and she jumped away, her eyes wide and filled with a new hurt. Thoughts of a relationship lasting only a week before having her heard broken all over again were flashing through her mind, causing her to tremble. She backed away, not registering Sirius' mystified look at her.

When Rory had jumped away, staring at him, he was confused. He thought it was obvious how he felt about her. "Rory, what's wrong?"

Rory simply shook her head, closing her eyes against the wave of hurt that was overtaking her. Without looking at Sirius she whispered "I can't be one of your girl's for a week Sirius. I can't have you be mine for a week, and then have you move onto someone else, so if that's what you're intending to do, just forget it." before walking out of the room, leaving Sirius gobsmacked behind her. Taking a deep breath, she ran out of the castle and down to the Lake, moving faster than she ever had before. In less than a minute she was sinking down to her knees at the water's edge, not even registering that it was raining, and let the tears overtake her.

Sirius stood rooted to the spot for a full minute before bolting from the room after her, understanding that he would lose her permanently if she didn't explain. He looked in the Library, the Great Hall, and every classroom he came across before checking the Tower, and not finding her there either. He didn't even register to look outside because of the rain. It was only by sheer chance that he looked out the dorm window and saw her there. In a flash, he had raced down the stairs, ignoring James and Remus as they called after him, running out of the Tower and down to the Lake.

Rory heard someone coming and lifted her head up, feeling her stomach flutter when she saw that it was Sirius. She was soaked straight through from sitting in the rain for a couple of hours.

Sirius felt his heart clench when she raised her head and he saw the utter heartbreak in her eyes. Brushing the wet hair out of her eyes, he knelt next to her and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry; this won't be just a week. The only way I'm leaving you is if you make me. I'm sorry I didn't say it before, I should have. I've loved you for years, Rory. So much that I even asked my Father about it."

Rory felt her eyes widen, looking up at him in disbelief. Searching his eyes for the sincerity she needed, and finding it, she launched herself forward, hugging him tightly.

Sirius relaxed when she hugged him, knowing she believed him. He helped her to her feet so they weren't kneeling in the wet dirt, and kissed her again.

They stayed like that for a while, oblivious to the rain around them.

AN: "Benjamin Barker" is in homage to Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which is my favorite movie.


	18. Chapter 17

**Friendships Tested**

After nearly an hour, when the pair of them finally started to feel the cold, Rory and Sirius made their way back to Gryffindor Tower. Sirius held Rory's hand firmly, a smile playing about his lips. Rory's eyes sparkled, and her cheeks had a distinct blush to them. She told herself not to get her hopes up too much, but couldn't help the happy feeling that was coursing through her.

They gave the password and entered the Common Room, which was empty of all besides James, Remus and Peter, who were all looking at the pair apprehensively. Their gazes lingered on the pair's still joined hands, and they all looked relieved, with James still appearing slightly apprehensive. They talked for a while, about little things, and when they were all satisfied that nothing would change because two of their number were dating, they parted ways for the night.

As the Marauders were heading into their dorm, James hung back to talk to Sirius. He turned and faced him, a serious look on his face. When he spoke, his tone reflected how serious he was.

"Padfoot, you're one of my best friends. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. But Rory is my sister, and you guys have argued. A lot. Don't hurt her."

Sirius nodded, looking at his friend, "I can't promise anything. You know that sometimes I just talk without thinking. I can try though. I don't want to hurt her. I've waited four years to take this step, I'm not about to mess it up now."

Having gotten this out of the way, the pair continued up to their Dorm to sleep.

From them on, the Marauders snuck out of the castle and joined the two werewolves during their transformations. At Rory's insistence, they did not leave the Shack, and the three Animagi were gone well before sunup.

In December, the small group of Gryffindors had a nasty shock. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, a squat, vile little man called Wilbert Slinkhard* started teaching the class about werewolves. He had always been rather strict and coarse towards Remus and Rory, but now whenever they saw him in the hallways, he had a rather nasty smile playing about his lips, and because very focused on the fourth year class learning the ways to identify werewolves, putting heavy focus on recognizing werewolf signs in humans, as well as making lunar charts. After the first few classes, Remus and Rory went to Professor McGonagall. The two were aware that the entire staff knew they were werewolves, and so these lessons caused distress and general feelings of unease, both to the two werewolves, and their friends who knew their secret, and so decided that the Deputy Headmistress could help them.

The pair knocked on their Head of Houses door with some trepidation. When the stern witch answered, she took one look at the students and realized that they were distinctly bothered by something. She took a step back and said, "Come on in, you two."

The pair walked in and took the offered seats. McGonagall straightened her glasses and fixed Rory and Remus with a stern look and said "What seems to be troubling you two?"

Rory took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts, before speaking. "It's about our Defense classes, Professor."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow, silently encouraging the fifteen year old to continue.

"We understand that, at some point in Defense, werewolves will come up. However, Professor Slinkhard is very...focused on the subject. He's not placed as much emphasis on identifying transformed werewolves as he has on pointing out traits that are in werewolves when they're not transformed. He's having people make Lunar charts and putting some fairly heavy emphasis on it. When we, that is, Remus and I, see him in the hallways, he always gives us this...this smirk. Almost like he's saying 'Let's see you keep your secret now.' I've already noticed a few people walking around with troubled looks on their faces, and, please, Professor McGonagall, I don't mean any disrespect, but it honestly seems like Professor Slinkhard is targeting us." Rory said this all very fast, as though if she paused she would lose her nerve, and McGonagall could see that the two students were near the point of hysteria. As she listened to Rory talk, her lips grew thinner and her eyebrows drew together. It was a look that would have sent even the Marauders running very quickly in the other direction. McGonagall regarded the two students silently for a few minutes before speaking.

"Thank you for bringing your concerns to me, Miss Potter-Knight and Mr. Lupin. I certainly have to agree with your assessment, and will bring the matter up with Professor Dumbledore. You two may go."

Rory and Remus left the office as quickly as possible. Rory went to the Library to look for Lily and Severus, and Remus went to find the Marauders. Seeing her two friends at their usual table, Rory sat down with a smile.

A smile that froze when she saw them looking distinctly uncomfortable. With an inward sigh, she said "I think we need to talk." Lily and Severus nodded and the three found an empty classroom. Rory waited, looking at her friends with a patience she didn't feel. Her mouth had gone dry and her stomach was in knots. She cared deeply for her friends, all of them, and the mere thought that they would leave when they found out her secret had her breaking out in a nervous sweat.

It was Lily who took the plunge, rather bluntly asking, "Are you a werewolf?" Lily never was one to beat around the bush. Mincing words and being delicate about things simply wasn't her style.

Rory sighed, looking calmly at her friends and decided on the truth, while leaving Remus out of it. She would let him know later that they had figured it out. She knew that they probably realized about Remus as well, but would leave it to him to either confirm or deny. "Yes. I am." She paused, looking at her friends, expecting to see horror and revulsion, but saw only patience and an urging to continue from Lily, and a mild apprehension tinged with curiosity from Severus. "I was bitten when I was one. I didn't think I'd be able to attend school, but Professor Dumbledore has taken precautions so that I can. I don't transform in the castle, and I suppose it helps that I have control over my transformations as well."

Severus spoke up, looking impressed rather than afraid, which made Rory smile happily. "You have control over how transformations? That's supposed to be impossible!" Rory nodded before continuing, a pleading note creeping into her voice "I didn't mean to lie, but you both know the prejudice that werewolves face, and I was so afraid you wouldn't want to be my friends anymore. I was planning to tell you both after OWLS, but Slinkhard-"

Lily cut her off, both her and Severus smiling slightly, "We know, Rory, It's all right. Don't worry we won't tell anyone." Severus nodded, agreeing, and still looking rather impressed.

Rory sighed in relief, and the three talked for a while, Severus letting the two know that a few of the older members of his House were making overtures to Voldemort, and recruiting younger members to do the same. They tossed back and forth stories and rumors they'd heard about what he was doing, deaths and disappearances they'd heard about and so on. They left to go back to their common rooms sometime later, Rory feeling relieved, but hoping they were telling the truth when they said nothing would change.

And they were. Lily and Severus continued on as before in their interactions with Rory. Sirius, after being hit with a stinging hex in a particularly painful spot, stopped arguing with Rory about her friendship with Severus. Well, he still grumbled about it to the Marauders, but he stopped fighting with Rory about it. After hexing him, she explained, for what she said was the final time, that she would not stop being Severus' friend unless she had a very good reason. The next week, Professor Slinkhard stopped teaching about werewolves, but always scowled hatefully at Rory and Remus when he saw them. The rumor was that Dumbledore had asked Slinkhard up to his office, and had quite sternly let it be known that targeting students for something they could not help would not be tolerated. It was unknown whether Dumbledore raised his voice or not, since the teachers were all tight lipped about it when they heard the rumor, but no one could deny that Slinkhard was very jumpy around Dumbledore after that. The last prank the Marauders pulled for the year involved a few timed jinxes going off in Slinkhard's office, causing the Defense Professor to turn orange, tap dance, speak in nothing but sonnets for a week, and sprout feelers on his forehead. The jinx's apparently interacted badly, since the feelers never went away.

The rest of the year passed uneventfully for the most part. Lily and Severus had a few more blazing fights over his inability to stand up for her to the Slytherins, which resulted in them not speaking to one another for several days at a time, and Rory trying to play peacemaker. Sirius and Rory grew closer, and Rory found out that Sirius' father had stopped his mother from sending him a Howler when she found out about her son's relationship. Regulus, who had been Sorted into Slytherin, had written home and informed his parents about Sirius and Rory dating, and gave Sirius rather dirty looks when they crossed paths with him in the hallway. Other than dirty looks, the two brothers avoided one another. Thanks to even more rigorous tutoring from Remus and Rory, Peter rose to 12th in the year. He was still pretty talentless with practical application, but he was no longer last in the year, which made his parent's happy, at least.

Sirius spent most of the summer at Potter Manor, again. He spent a week at Black Manor, but left (with his father's permission), when relations between Sirius and Walburga Black deteriorated to the point where neither Sirius nor Orion was sure he would be able to hold his temper in. Walburga, enraged that the Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, had dared date what she termed a "filthy animal", had taken to following Sirius in and out of rooms, loudly berating him and his choice of girlfriend, and calling Rory all manner of named, from 'flea-bitten mongrel' to 'gold-digging whore'. It was when this last was said that Orion saw the look of rage in his Heir's eyes and chose to allow Sirius to spend the summer with the Potter's. He also forbade Walburga from ever speaking to Sirius about his choice of friends or girlfriend's again. From what Sirius later told Rory and the other Marauders, the resulting temper tantrum his mother threw caused his father to backhand his mother so hard she fell unconscious. Remus and Peter also spent the last few weeks of the Holiday at Potter Manor, causing much exasperated amusement for Charlus and Miriam.

Sirius got a letter from his father, a family update for the Heir Apparent, stating that his cousin Bellatrix had joined Voldemort's followers. Andromeda had been disowned after running away and marrying Ted Tonks against her parent's wishes. She was pregnant, Orion wrote. Abraxas and Lucius Malfoy had approached Lord Black seeking a marriage contract with the young Narcissa Black, something that Orion was considering but would speak with Sirius about next Summer.

Greyback, the werewolf, was sighted very close to Potter Manor, causing heavy apprehension inside the home. That full moon, Rory stuck very close to the Manor, even knowing that he couldn't get in the wards.

The Hogwarts letters for Fifth Year came. OWL year. One of the most stressful years in the education of Hogwarts students.

Remus and Lily became prefects for Gryffindor, to the surprise of no one at all, except maybe the Marauder's, who were amazed that one of them would be given actual authority. Rory remarked that the teacher's were most likely hoping Remus would use that authority to exert some control over his Marauding friends, thus causing James and Sirius to snicker. To Rory and Lily's utter confusion, the foul Mulciber became Slytherin Prefect, rather than Severus.

Fifth Year started with each teacher lecturing them on the OWLS. There were fewer pranks between James, Sirius and Severus, but the few there were became noticeably more cruel, with Rory yelling furiously at James and Sirius, and a few times at Severus when he instigated it as well. Each time one pranked the other, there was a retaliatory hex from Rory. Despite it all, the relationship between Rory and Sirius was still going strong. There was a nasty incident where Narcissa Black tried to hex her, but Sirius had, for the first time, used his authority as Heir Apparent to get her to back down. James started backing down from Severus, but only very slightly, as he was still harboring his as yet unrequited feelings for Lily, who in turn refused to regard him with more than passing disdain because of his treatment of her friend.

For Christmas that year, they all stayed at Hogwarts and, as they had for years previous, opened their gifts together in the Common Room. Rory gave Sirius an album full of pictures of them all taken through out the years. She gave James a 700 Galleon gift certificate for Quality Quidditch Supplies, which caused him to tackle her in a hug. He'd made Chaser on the Gryffindor team in third year, and was hoping to make Captain next year, so this really was the perfect gift. She gave Peter a set of Dicta-quills to help with his note taking, after checking to see if they were allowed, and she gave Remus a rather heavy set of books on warding that she'd seen him eyeballing in Diagon Alley. She got Lily and Severus a few rare charms and potions books she'd found. She got assorted gifts of clothes, a new cloak and gift certificated to Gladrags and Madam Malkin's and Flourish and Blotts from everyone.

Finally, there was one gift left. It was a small box and Sirius picked it up and handed it to Rory. Her eyes bright with curiosity, she stripped off the paper and opened the box. Inside there was a simple band with an Onyx stone on it. The band had runes engraved into it, and she could see they wove a protection spell. On the inside of the band were other runes, but they were Ancient and harder to place. She looked at Sirius, a confused and curious expression on her face.

Sirius looked back at her, clearly nervous. James seemed to recognize something and looked at Padfoot, wide-eyed. He took a deep breath and spoke, making sure he kept eye contact so she could see his sincerity. "Rory, I've loved you since first year. I know I've been a prat and a git at times, but I love you. This is a Black Family Betrothal Ring. If you accept it, it signifies that we're betrothed, and, if you're willing, may one day be married. It's part of a set of three, betrothal, for when we're still in school, engagement, and then marriage." Rory felt her eyes getting wider as Sirius explained exactly what his gift was. This was something she'd never dared dream could happen, utterly incapable of speech for the first time ever, she simply stared at him. Of course there was only one answer she could give, "If you're asking if I'm willing to become betrothed to you, Sirius Black, then the answer is yes." He slipped the ring on her finger and she felt a rush of warmth. he kissed her, a gentle, soft kiss (since her brother was sat right there, after all).

Even years later, Rory could never quite recall what else happened that day, save that she was the happiest she'd been in a long time.

Then school started back up, lessons became more stressful as the workload increased and OWLS approached. Pranking between the Marauder's and Severus was intermittent, but still happened, each prank bushing the boundaries of cruelty and malice a little further.

The pranking came to a head after the OWL examinations, when almost all the fifth year was near the Lake, enjoying the end of exams and the warm weather.

James and Sirius humiliated Severus, and Lily, as normal, came over to defend him. The two ringleaders of the Marauder's had Severus dangling in the air by his ankles, his wand on the ground out of reach., with Rory close behind, looking equally enraged.

Lily drew her wand, pointing it at James' face threateningly. "Let him alone, I said!"

James sighed, preparing to undo the spell "You're lucky Evans was here to help you, Snivellous."

"I don't need help from filthy Mudblood like her!" Rory gasped, her eyes wide as she stared at Severus, feeling Lily's spine straighten next to her. She missed Lily's retort, but chased after her when she stormed off, deciding that Severus would have to deal with this one on his own.

Later on in the Common Room, most of the Gryffindor's scattered as both Lily and Rory let them both have it.

It was Rory who was right in Sirius' face that finally laid it out. "Severus is my friend. I care for him, and it doesn't make it any easier to be his friend when my boyfriend is hexing him at every chance. I can't do this, anymore, Sirius. If you can't leave Severus alone, then I will leave YOU alone. So think about that." Leaving Sirius looking stricken behind her, she stormed upstairs angry and upset, knowing that Sirius wouldn't be able to help himself.

Severus tried to apologize to Lily, but she had finally had enough. She had defended Severus against any who woul speak against him for the last five years, no matter what he said or did or who his other friends were, and he had never once afforded her the same courtesy. The Slytherins would attack her verbally and Severus would do nothing. His use of that slur, in Lily's mind, showed that Severus was no longer the friend she knew. That he had changed, and not for the better. It hurt, but she would get over it in time. Maybe, she thought to herself, James had seen something in her childhood friend that she couldn't or wouldn't see for herself. She didn't like his hexing of him, but decided to look past it a little, to see what else there was of the Potter Scion.

A few days later, Sirius saw Severus by himself down by the Lake. Rumor had it that Lily refused to speak to him at all, and Severus certainly looked depressed over it. It was dusk, and a full moon that night. Having long since known that Severus knew Rory's secret, and knowing that Rory and Remus could control themselves, Sirius decided to play one final prank on ole Snivelly before he left him alone for good.

Sneering and leaning against a tree, Sirius folded his arms and said "Oy, Sniv, guess what I just saw?"

Rolling his eyes, Severus answered, in a weary voice, "I don't much care, Black. Leave me alone."

Sirius shrugged "Fine, I guess you're not concerned that one of your little wanna be Death Eater friends stunned Evans and brought her to the Shrieking Shack. Rumor has it, Greyback is there." Sirius thought no one could possibly fall for this, he was certain that anyone with half a brain would realize that if there was a suspicion of Greyback being in the area, then Aurors and the Ministry would be swarming over the school, but to his surprise, Severus looked up, panic spread across his face. As Sirius looked on in shock, Severus leapt up and raced towards the Whomping Willow, desperate to save the friend he had lost in his own stupidity, ignoring Sirius who was calling after him to stop.

Sirius gulped, looking a little pale, since he knew Rory would be furious with him the next day. James came up next to him, and noticing the look on his friends' face, asked what was wrong. As Sirius relayed the story, James got paler and paler before getting up and running towards the Willow, yelling over his shoulder "Sirius, you idiot, Moony hasn't been around people transformed yet! Get Dumbledore, NOW!"

Vaulting into the tunnel after freezing the tree, James raced as quickly as he could towards the Shack, his heart hammering as he heard the growls inside. He knew Rory was probably holding Remus back. he burst into the room and saw the black shape of Rory standing in front of Severus, her back to him, snarling and growling at the smaller shape of Moony, snapping at him whenever he tried to get by her. Severus was plastered against the wall, his eyes wide in terror, his face paler than normal.

Without thinking, James leapt into the room and grabbed Severus' arm, tossing him from the room before transforming and helping Rory push Remus back into another room. Rory used her back legs to close the door, and James rant back to Severus, transforming as he went and grabbing him, dragging him from the Shack and back up to the Castle, where a somber Headmaster, a furious McGonagall, and a guilty Sirius were waiting.

Dumbledore surveyed the pair over his spectacles before speaking "We will go to the Hospital Wing, and discuss the nights events in my office in the morning, after Ms Potter-Knight and Mr. Lupin are capable of joining us."

James cast a livid look at Sirius before walking with Dumbledore and McGonagall to the Hospital Wing, where both he and Severus were given calming draughts and spent the night. Sirius was sent back to the Tower, with stern instructions not to discuss what happened.

Meanwhile, in the Shrieking Shack, Rory was growling at Remus, who had lost control of himself as soon as he saw Severus standing there. She had managed to keep him from attacking the Slytherin, and was grateful when James showed up and helped her get Remus into another room. As soon as the scent of Severus dissipated, Moony seemed to regain his control. His eyes, even in the werewolf form, were wide with horror at what could have happened and Rory inwardly sighed, knowing this was a setback in Remus' acceptance of his condition. They spent the rest of the night in the room, and at first light, as humans, they raced back up to the castle.

They were met by McGonagall, who looked stern and sad at the same time, and were escorted to Dumbledore's Office.

As they walked in, Rory saw Sirius sitting away from everyone, Severus looking as though he'd been up all night, and James glaring at Sirius, also looking as though he didn't sleep. Dumbledore was looking sternly at the group of students, but when Rory and Remus entered the office, he spoke.

"Excellent. Miss Potter-Knight, Mr Lupin, have a seat." When the pair sat on the offered chairs, the Headmaster spoke again. "Miss Potter-Knight, why don't you tell us the events of last night from your point of view, being that you probably remember them clearly."

"Remus and I went to the Shack as we always do, we were sitting on one of the beds, waiting for the moon to rise, and when it did we transformed. We yawned and laid down on the bed nearby, still tired from the stress of OWL's and such, when we smelled someone enter. I recognized the scent as Severus' and had no idea why he was there. Remus lifted his head when he smelled it, and since he had never been around a human when he was transformed, the werewolf instincts took hold before he could stop them. I grabbed him by the scruff and pulled him back so I could get in front of Severus and them James came in.."Here she paused, knowing she couldn't rat her brother out for becoming an Animagus. That pause lasted just enough for her to draw breath before she continued smoothly, "He grabbed Severus and threw him out of the room and they left, and I managed to get Remus back into another room and close the door behind us. After their scents had dissipated enough, Remus was able to regain control of himself."

Dumbledore nodded and asked "You had no idea that Severus was going to the Shack or why he was there? None at all."

Completely truthfully, Rory replied "No sir. Severus has known since last year that I am a werewolf, since Professor Slinkhard's lessons, and I believe he deduced the same of Remus, but I wasn't aware that he knew I transformed in the Shrieking Shack." Severus and Remus nodded, backing Rory's claim.

Dumbledore nodded again before turning to James, "Mr. Potter. Your version of events, please."

James, who had been silent until now, spoke, his voice raspy with sleeplessness and stress, "I was looking for Sirius, and when I found him, he told me Severus was headed to the Shack. I knew Remus hadn't been around anyone when he was transformed, and thought I could get to Snape before he made it too far into the Tunnel. I didn't see him, but I heard the growls. I knew Rory would be able to keep Remus back, or at least I hoped, and so I grabbed Snape and got him out of there, we ran back up here and met you and Professor McGonagall in the Entrance Hall."

Dumbledore nodded again before turning to Sirius, "Mr. Black. Is there anything you would like to admit to?" At this question, Rory's eyes widened in horror, realizing what the headmaster was implying. She opened her mouth to say that Sirius could never send someone, would never send someone into the Shack, knowing who was there, but then stopped. Severus had no other reason to go into the Shack, and knew that her and Remus were Werewolves, and so would have otherwise been going back to the Castle very soon. It was a question Rory didn't know the answer to: Why had Severus gone there? She closed her mouth with a snap and looked at Sirius, betrayal shining in her eyes.

Sirius kept his eyes on the carpet as he spoke, his voice low and tinged with regret. "I knew that Snape knew about Rory and Remus. Rory told us all when Lily Evans and he figured it out. It was just a stupid prank, I didn't think he's fall for it.."

McGonagall's sharp voice cut across the room like a knife "Fall for what, Black?"

Sirius flinched. "I told him that one of his friends stunned Lily Evans and brought her to the Shack and that I'd heard Greyback was going to be there. Before I could tell him I was joking, he was up and running. James showed up and I told him what I did, and he shot off after Snape and yelled at me to get the Headmaster."

Rory stared at Sirius as if she didn't know him, tears forming in her eyes. She looked at Severus and knew he couldn't be friends with her anymore, he'd been too traumatized by what happened. She didn't blame him, of course, but she was still sad. The Headmaster was speaking and she paid attention "I think, Mr. Black, that you shall have detention every night next year. It is lucky for you that Ms Potter-Knight has such control, and that Mr. Potter went after young Mr. Snape, or else I would be forced to expel you. As it stands you are on your last chance. Should you ever pull another prank as a student at this school, no matter how small, you will be expelled. You will be subject to Veritaserum whenever you are suspected in having taken part in any pranks that are pulled to ensure your compliance. I will be writing to your father tonight. You are confined to your Dormitory and Common Room until the Train leaves at the end of term. A house elf will bring you meals." He turned to James and Rory "Mr. Potter, I am proud of you. I know well of your animosity towards Mr. Snape, and you still risked your life for his. that takes a strength of character that is rarely seen in one who is still a student, and I commend you. Miss Potter-Knight, I say once again that your ability to control yourself during transformations is extraordinary. 50 points each to Gryffindor." He turned to Severus, "50 points to Slytherin as well, Mr. Snape. I'm sorry that this happened to you, but I must demand you keep the fact that Miss Potter-Knight-"

"No."

The interruption had not come from Severus, as expected, but from Rory. She continued, her voice soft and full of the tears she was trying to hold back, "Headmaster, please do not blackmail Severus into keeping this a secret." She turned and looked at her Slytherin friend. "Severus, if you can't be around me anymore, I understand. I know full well how traumatic this was. But, please, for the sake of the fact that we were once friends, that I never pranked you, and that I stuck up for you, please don't spread it around. Please don't tell anyone, even about Remus. If you tell people about him, they'll figure it out about me as well. For the sake of our former, if it is former, friendship, please."

Severus looked at her for a moment. Rory could tell that he wanted to tell her to piss off and tell everyone what happened. But he remembered all the times Rory and Lily stuck up for him, all the times they hexed the Marauder's for pranking him, and how she had been his friend, even after Lily stopped talking to him. He nodded, "All right. I promise I won't tell anyone. If anyone else finds out, it won't be from me. I don't know if I can be friends with you anymore, but if I can't, then I'll just leave you alone."

Rory nodded, "I"m so sorry Sev. I wish this had never happened." Severus nodded before being dismissed by the Headmaster. Rory stood up, looking at Sirius, anger and betrayal in her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was shaking with rage, "_How could you? _How could you do this? Do you realize what could have happened? If something had happened to Sev, Remus and I...Great Moon, Sirius, we would have been executed, because you had to play a prank." She advanced on Sirius, her tone getting louder and angrier and Remus and James stood up to keep her from attacking him.

Sirius looked up at her and she saw the regret in his eyes, and saw him open his mouth to speak, to apologize, and found she didn't care. "Save it, Black. You always apologize, you're always sorry, I know...but I can't care anymore. You've shown me that you don't give a damn what happens to anyone else as long as you're amused." Even as her heart was breaking, she looked at him and said the words she never thought she would say, "Stay away from me. Do not ever speak to me again, I don't want anything to do with you." As she finished, she couldn't stop a tear from escaping and rolling down her cheek and she turned away, preparing to leave, when Sirius grabbed her elbow to stop her. Her mind flashed back to the last time he had done that, when he revealed he was an Animagus and they got together, and her heart broke even more.

"Rory, no, wait, please, I-" She didn't give him time to finish, simply turned and slapped him, the sound of her hand hitting his cheek cracking across the silent room as she yelled out "Don't touch me!" She heard McGonagall Gasp before the Deputy lead her quickly from the Headmaster's office and into her own, where Rory sank onto a chair and wept. She wept for a lost friendship, she wept for the damage that had been done, she wept from relief that she had stopped something horrible from happening, she wept for Remus and what he must be feeling, and she wept for the end of her relationship with Sirius, the death of her dreams of being with him, and from the fact that she still loved him and always would.

Up in the Headmaster's office, Dumbledore had remained silent, letting Rory say what she needed to. He dismissed the three boys and they left the Office in silence. When they made it back up to the Dorm, James turned and punched Sirius in the jaw, making him fall. James was on him in a second, punching him more, until Remus and Peter pulled him off. James looked at Sirius with anger and then simply shook his head and went to his bed, sitting in silence. Remus went to sit with him.

Later that day, Rory entered the common room. She saw Lily and quietly filled her in on what happened, and the aftermath. Lily confessed that she had wondered why the Marauders seemed to be fighting. Everyone went to bed, emotionally drained.

It seemed The Marauders were no more. Of the group of friends, only Peter would speak to Sirius, the others acted as though he were invisible. He tried to talk to Rory a few times and got hexed for his trouble, from both Rory and James. Miriam wrote to her, and they talked via Owl about everything that happened. Orion sent a sternly worded letter to his son, and after speaking with Charlus Potter, chose not to send a Howler, since it would be difficult to word it in a way that would not give away Rory's secret.

Finally it was the end of term. Every present Rory had ever received from Sirius was at the bottom of her trunk, hidden from her view. She took off the betrothal ring he had given her for Christmas that year, feeling a fresh wave of grief and new tears springing into her eyes. She placed it with the other things, intending to give it back to Sirius as soon as she could look at him without wanting to punch him. Angrily wiping the tears from her eyes, she rode down to the train in a carriage with James, who rubbed her back comfortingly, Lily, who looked at James as though seeing him clearly for the first time, and Remus, who looked as though he hadn't been eating or sleeping well.

The train ride home was spent reading or starting on holiday homework, with Rory sleeping off and on. They pulled into London and disembarked, talking quietly amongst themselves. James and Rory made their way over to their parents, Miriam looking concerned at the pallor of Rory's skin and the dark circles under her eyes. Rory greeted the other adults respectfully but tiredly and then Miriam and Charlus took her and James home. Rory went up to her Suite and sank onto her bed without unpacking, sinking into a deep sleep that would hopefully have her feeling rested.

_AN: 5 points to your House if you recognize the defense instructor mentioned. ^_^_

_I'm sorry for taking so long to update, I spent ages trying to get my head back into this story. Thank you to everyone who has stuck around through my sporadic updates and continues to read, I truly appreciate all of you._


	19. Chapter 18

**Aftershocks and Apologies**

Rory woke up the next day to sunlight streaming in through her bedroom windows. She sat up and looked out the window. It looked like such a beautiful day. She stretched and climbed out of bed and towards her bathroom, eager to take a nice, long hot shower to wake herself up. She opened her window on her way to let some of the breeze in. She turned on the shower and made the water as hot as her skin could stand it and proceeded to scrub, as though the scrubbing could remove what had happened during the last few weeks of term.

Nearly 45 minutes later, Rory went back to her room, a towel wrapped around her. She dressed simply in shorts and a tank top and manhandled her hair into a pony tail before deciding to unpack. She hung up her robes and other clothes in her wardrobe and put her old textbooks on her bookshelves before turning back to the trunk and freezing. There, at the bottom, were all the former Christmas and birthday gifts Sirius had given her. On top was the betrothal ring. Before she could stop herself, she had reached forward and picked it up, tears springing in her eyes.

Sitting on her floor in front of the open trunk, she let her mind wander back over the last few weeks. Sirius had, of course, been confined to Gryffindor Tower, and as a result Rory spent very little time there. She had tried talking to Remus about what happened, but he had refused to discuss it, simply stating "I'm a monster. I could have killed him." He refused to even mention anything else about it, and stopped doing his meditative exercises. Rory knew that this was a major setback for him, and didn't know if he'd ever be able to trust himself again, and that trust was essential to regaining control.

The night before the students were due to go back to London on the Express, Rory had been sitting in the Common Room, flipping through a book on Transfiguration without really reading it. She looked up when she heard someone coming down the stairs and stood up when she saw it was Sirius, intending to head back up to the girl's dormitory. Faster than she thought he could move, Sirius was in front of her. She expected him to attempt another apology and simply stepped around him, too tired and careworn to attempt to hex him. She thought she heard him sob when she turned the corner, but couldn't find it in herself to care. All she could think of was the fact that Sirius had tricked Severus into going into the Shrieking Shack and had she not been there, and had James not showed up, something horrible could have happened to her friend, and as a result both her and Remus would have been killed. Even though the laws against werewolves had become much more reasonable, that was one that had not been repealed, and one she understood the need for. Monsters like Greyback made this law necessary.

It still hurt though. Sirius knew the law as well as her and Remus did. He'd told her he'd researched every werewolf related law currently on the books before offering her a betrothal ring. He'd put her and one of their closest friends at risk of death, for a stupid prank. Just for a little bit of revenge on someone he was jealous of, and for no reason at all.

Sighing, she put the ring back in the trunk and slammed it closed, wiping the tears she wasn't aware had fallen from her cheeks. Great Moon, but she missed him. She missed him holding her hand, she missed his arms around her, she missed the way he'd kiss her forehead. She missed the way he looked at her, like she was made of the most precious jewels in the world. Without moving from in front of her trunk, she drew her knees up to her chest and rested her forehead on them, even as she heard a knock at her door.

"Come in" It was James. She looked up and saw concern in his eyes and attempted a small smile for him. He wasn't fooled. He closed the door behind him and sat next to her, draping an arm across his sister's shoulder's. "You miss him." "So very much."

"Do you think you could ever forgive him?" Rory was silent for a few minutes, her eyebrows drawn together in a frown as she thought about James' question. Could she ever forgive him? Finally she gave the only answer she felt was an honest one, "I don't know." James nodded, he understood. They all, Rory, James and Remus, felt the loss of one of their best friends clearly and deeply. Finally Rory stood, and James stood with her. "OWL scores should be coming today, brother. Let's go downstairs and wait, besides, I could use something to eat.

The siblings headed downstairs together and sat next to one another at the table. Charlus had apparently already left for work, and Miriam was sitting nursing a cup of tea. Her inquiry as to whether her children were all right was met with small nods and listless assurances. James got himself a bowl of porridge to eat, while Rory ate a few strawberries. The two were mostly silent, as they couldn't think of anything to say. Miriam frowned, thinking that maybe something had happened between her children that she wasn't aware of, and voiced that concern, causing James and Rory to look up at her, surprise in their eyes. "Oh, no, Mum, nothing happened between James and me. He's been wonderful, truly, especially with what happened between Si-Black at the end of term." _Stop calling him Sirius, Rory. _She thought to herself, _He's Black now. It will help you heal, move on. _"It's just been a very stressful few weeks, that's all." James nodded his head in agreement, and Miriam appeared satisfied.

They finished eating and drinking their tea in silence before the two siblings decided to head outside and fly around the grounds for a bit. After a couple of hours, they went back inside, each lost in their thoughts, to discover that Ministry Owls were waiting for them. After exchanging a slightly panicked look, they untied their respective letters and read them through.

_** Ordinary Wizarding Level Exam Results for Aurora Hecate Potter-Knight.**_

_** Pass Grades: Outstanding, Exceeds Expectations, Acceptable. (High, average and low)**_

_** Fail Grades: Poor, Dreadful, Troll.**_

_** Year Ranking can be found that the bottom of this document.**_

_** Sincerely Yours,**_

_** Griselda Marchbanks**_

_** Department of Magical Education**_

_**Ancient Runes: High Outstanding**_

_**Arithmancy: Outstanding**_

_**Astronomy: Exceeds Expectations**_

_**Care of Magical Creatures: Exceeds Expectations**_

_**Charms: High Outstanding**_

_**Defense Against The Dark Arts: High Outstanding**_

_**Herbology: Exceeds Expectations**_

_**History of Magic: Low Exceeds Expectations**_

_**Potions: Outstanding**_

_**Transfiguration: Outstanding.**_

_** You are cleared to take the following Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test classes, should you choose: Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defense Against The Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Potions, and Transfiguration.**_

_** You have ranked Third in your year. **_

Rory read through her results with wide eyes. She had past everything, with no grade lower than a low E. She let out a relieved breath, a real smile spreading across her face for the first time in weeks. Of course, she figured that Lily got the top slot in the year, and Severus was most likely in second place. She looked up at James and saw the same relieved happiness as was on her face, but tinged with surprise, so she switched results with him to see how he did.

His grades were almost the same as hers, except he got a High Outstanding in History and Transfiguration. She had been wrong about Severus getting the number two spot in the year, James had. That must have been what he was surprised about. Letting out a happy laugh, Rory said "Congratulations, James, you actually did better than me.", as she hugged him.

The two looked up and saw Miriam looking at them expectantly, and so they handed over their results to her, watching nervously as she read them over. Though they knew they had done well, they were eager for their mother's approval. Miriam read the results through quickly, before looking up, a proud smile on her face as she hugged them both in turn. "Oh, this is wonderful! Well done, both of you! I simply must send an Owl to your father at the Ministry!" She handed them back their results, and walked off towards the mail room of the Manor to do just that.

In London, at Black manor, Sirius lay on his bed, staring morosely up at the ceiling. As soon as the door closed behind them, Orion had grabbed his son by the arm roughly and dragged him into his Study. Pushing him none too gently towards a chair, he demanded "Sirius Orion Black, what possessed you to pull such a stunt? Lord Potter is the Head of the _DMLE_ and you pull something that could have gotten his daughter killed! Explain yourself immediately!"Sirius had sighed and said that he had no reason. There was no excuse that would be acceptable, and he realized that what he had done was horrible, could have cost him his education and two of his friends their lives. Upon hearing the utterly miserable tone Sirius used, Orion sat down in his own chair and asked, his voice soft and understanding for once, "What was young Miss Potter-Knight's reaction when she discovered what you had done?"

Sirius flinched and drew in a shaky breath, trying to regain control over himself. He couldn't quite stop the tears from forming, but he stopped them from falling as he answered his father, "She broke up with me. She ended the betrothal, and demanded I stay away from her. She then proceeded to act as though I do not exist. She hates me. And I can't blame her."

Orion nodded and asked gently, "What of the Black Family Betrothal Ring?" Sirius shook his head "I have not yet retrieved it. I'm hoping that after the summer, if she is less angry with me, then we can try and rebuild our relationship. If I take the ring back, it's a symbol that it's hopeless for me to even try. Right now, even though I know I do not deserve such, I need that hope." Orion nodded again, "Very well. Headmaster Dumbledore wrote me, informing me that you will have detention with the caretaker, Mr. Filch, for every day next year, excepting Christmas Eve and Day, Boxing Day, as well as New Year's Eve and Day. I have approved this, and have sent a letter back banning you from Hogsmeade visits until Professor McGonagall hears otherwise from me. I have also written to Lord Potter, asking for a convenient time or you and I to go either to Potter Manor, or to the Ministry, for you to offer an official, sincere apology for your actions and what could have resulted from them. You are also to write to young Mr Snape and offer him the same apology. You will be confined to your Suite for the duration of the Summer, excepting when you are needed for your Heir Apparent duties. I expect you to come find me immediately upon receipt of your OWL scores, and you will open them in front of me. Are we clear?

Sirius nodded his head, "Yes, Father." Upon being dismissed, Sirius went back up to his room, passing both his Mother and Regulus silently. Walburga looked smug and pleased at Sirius' demeanor, while Regulus appeared concerned, though he was trying to hide it. He laid on his bed and only moved when Kreacher brought him food. He raised his head as there was a tapping at his window. He saw a Ministry Owl there and took the letter before walking down to his Father's study and knocking. Hearing Orion allow him entry, he opened the door. Seeing his Father alone, he spoke "Father, my OWL scores have arrived and I am here to open them, as you said."

Orion gestured him inside and called Kreacher to get Walburga. When she was seated he nodded to Sirius to open his results and hand them over without reading them. Orion unfolded the parchment and read the results with an expressionless face.

_** Ordinary Wizarding Level Exam Results for Sirius Orion Black.**_

_** Pass Grades: Outstanding, Exceeds Expectations, Acceptable. (High, average and low)**_

_** Fail Grades: Poor, Dreadful, Troll.**_

_** Year Ranking can be found that the bottom of this document.**_

_** Sincerely Yours,**_

_** Griselda Marchbanks**_

_** Department of Magical Education**_

_**Ancient Runes: Outstanding**_

_**Arithmancy: High Outstanding**_

_**Astronomy: Low Exceeds Expectations**_

_**Care of Magical Creatures: High Exceeds Expectations**_

_**Charms: Outstanding**_

_**Defense Against The Dark Arts: High Outstanding**_

_**Herbology: Exceeds Expectations**_

_**History of Magic: Low Exceeds Expectations**_

_**Potions: High Exceeds Expectations**_

_**Transfiguration: Low Outstanding.**_

_** You are cleared to take the following Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test classes, should you choose: Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defense Against The Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Potions, and Transfiguration.**_

_** You are ranked Sixth in your year.**_

Orion handed the results to Walburga and surveyed his increasingly nervous son and Heir. Walburga handed the results back to her husband and sniffed "Adequate enough grades. At least you do not completely shame the House of Black." Orion gave her a quelling glare and told her to leave before handing the results for Sirius to see for himself. He read through the parchment quickly and visibly sagged with relief. Horrible as he felt, at least his grades were decent.

"I am pleased with your grades, Heir Black. Despite what your mother says, they are more than adequate. The are something to be proud of, and believe me when I say I am proud of you. Now, I believe I sent you a letter last Summer about the marriage contract between Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa. What are your thoughts?"

Sirius sighed to himself, thinking. He hated this Heir stuff, but knew he needed to know it for when he was Lord Black, after his father passed on. "May I speak freely?" "Of course. There will be no punishment for giving me your thoughts when I ask for them."

Sirius leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he looked at his Father. "What do we know of the Malfoy's affiliations? We know that they are a reasonably affluent Family, not as wealthy as us, but able to live comfortably. I know that have Dark leanings, but do we know if they have been approached by the Dark Lord Voldemort? And if they have, do we know if they have allied themselves with him?" Orion leaned back in his chair, thinking. He knew that Sirius did not approve of their Family's Dark leanings, and he was not fully comfortable with them himself. He preferred to be more neutral than anything else. After a few moments he answered "I know that they have been approached, as almost all of the Darker Families have. The Lestranges were certainly approached and joined his cause, even before Cousin Bellatrix was married to Rodolphus. The Notts were approached, as were the Carrows, and the Parkinson's. I don't know what they chose though. What do you suggest, Heir?"

Sirius knew this part would be tricky, "I suggest that, with Cousin Narcissa's blessing, we approve a Marriage Contract between her and Lucius Malfoy, but not allow it to be executed until after she has taken her NEWT's. We offer the standard Dowry as well as the Lesser Manor in Kent, since we haven't been there since before I was born and it's just collecting dust. But I also suggest that we have Heir Malfoy swear the Traditional Black Family Fealty Oath. I'm sure you must know, Father, that I have no plans, when I am Lord Black, to ally this Family with Voldemort, and am loathe to marry a member of our Family to one who will."

Orion nodded, "I assumed as much. Now, Sirius, you know that the Oath does not have a Magical Trigger if it is broken. How do you suggest we find out of it has been breached?

"Veritaserum. Voldemort won't remain in power forever, and if Heir Malfoy is suspected as being a follower of his, we will test the claim under Veritaserum. I would like it stated, if it's pleasing to you Father, that either the current Lord Black or Lady Black, as in either myself or the woman I marry, can administer the Veritaserum, and should the Oath be determined to be breached, the marriage be annulled, the Manor returned, as well as the Dowry, but with a 20 percent interest rate for each year they had been wed. If there are any children, they may, at Cousin Narcissa's request, take the name Black, but will only inherit the title if I have no Heir's myself."

Orion thought to himself for a few moments, turning over the suggestion in his head. "Very good. That certainly seems reasonable. I shall have Cousin Narcissa and her parents over this weekend and we shall finalize the details. In other business, I received an Owl from Lord Potter letting me know that he will discuss the issue with his children and get back to us with a appropriate time. When you return upstairs, you are to pen your apology to the Young Snape, and bring it to me for inspection. You are dismissed."

Sirius left the room immediately and did as he was asked. Upon finding his letter acceptable, Orion sent it off and Sirius returned to his room, trying to figure out what he could possibly do to fix things between himself and Rory.

At Potter Manor, Rory went back up to her Suite and wrote Lily to see what her OWL results were, knowing Peter and Remus would likely write to her and James themselves. She had just sent the Owl off when James poked his head into her Suite, "Guess what I just got?" Rory raised an eyebrow "I'm sure I have no idea. What?" "Two letters, one from Snape thanking me for what I did last term, and one from Lily, asking how my summer was going and also thanking me for helping Snape." "Really? Lily _and_ Severus both wrote to you? And the letter's were civilized?" James nodded, looking as surprised as Rory felt. "You think maybe this means Evan's might want to go to Hogsmeade with me one day?" Rory shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. Her issue with you was the way you treated Severus, but since they're not friends anymore...I don't know. Any idea what NEWT classes you're going to take?" "Transfiguration, of course, Charms, Defense, Arithmancy, and Care, most likely. You?" "Mostly the same, except I'll take Runes as well, and probably do independent study for History. I haven't decided on that yet." The two talked for a while longer before one of the House Elves informed them that Dinner was ready and that Charlus was home.

They walked to the Dining Room, still chatting about their scores and classes for next year. When they sat at the table, Charlus looked at them, beaming very proudly, "You mother sent me an Owl, telling me your scores. I am very proud of both of you. Your scores were excellent." Rory and James thanked him, blushing. His smile faded a bit, "Now, I have a bit of news. I received an Owl from Lord Black as well. He wants to know an appropriate time for Sirius to come, either here or to the Ministry, to offer an Official Family Apology."

Rory frowned, trying to remember what she had read about Family Politics, while James replied, "Well, he owes the apology more to Rory than me, but I don't think it's a good idea..." Charlus nodded, "I would agree. But it's not that simple. Aurora, do you know why?" She nodded, "Because the request came from Lord Black rather than Sirius, and was sent as Family Business, refusing to meet could cause all sorts of political problems. However, just because he apologizes, does not mean I need to accept is, does it, Dad?"

Charlus shook his head, "In most cases, no, it doesn't. However, we don't know what type of apology will be offered. Some of the Darker Families use apologies that cause the death of the one offering the apology if it's not accepted." Rory looked horrified. "I wrote him back and said I would discuss it with the two of you first. I suggest we have them come here, since if it's done at the Ministry, people will gossip. Are you all right with this Aurora?

She thought for a few minutes before nodding "I have to be. I don't want to cause any political problems for anyone. I'd rather they come here, since it's going to be stressful enough seeing Sirius again. I also have his Betrothal Ring to return, so I can do that at the same time. I haven't done it before now, because I simply couldn't look at him without being tempted to hit him."

Charlus nodded, "I"ll let you know what they will be here, it will likely be within the next few days, if not this weekend. And speaking of Rings, James, tomorrow we are going to Gringotts. You have proven yourself emotionally ready to get the Potter Family Ring and start taking on more Family Oriented duties, as the Heir Apparent."

James looked shocked at this, he'd never expected to get his Ring until after sixth year, at the earliest. They all started Dinner and ate, talking about things seen in the newspaper, mostly more deaths and a few Death Eater attacks. After Dinner Rory went upstairs to read and found a letter from Lily, telling Rory her scores and that she had, as predicted, been ranked first in the year. She invited Rory over the following weekend for a bit of shopping, and she sent an Owl saying she'd get back to her. She pulled out the Betrothal Ring and set it on her table, just looking at it and thinking, trying to figure out if she could ever forgive Sirius for what he'd done, and if she could, if she could ever find herself with him again. She wanted to be, she knew that. She had absolutely no interest in dating anyone else at all, and knew her heart belonged to the Black Heir...but she didn't know if she could trust him again.

Changing into pajamas, she curled up on a comfortable chair and read a novel until it she decided to go to bed. It had been one very long day.

The next day, she woke up to someone knocking on her Suite door. Pulling on a dressing robe, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and opened the door, seeing James there. She checked a nearby clock and saw she'd slept in until nearly noon, which was unheard of for her. James handed her an apple and a cup of tea and she invited him in.

"So, what's up?"

"Dad sent me up to tell you that the Blacks will be joining us for Dinner, well Lord and Heir Black, anyway, so dress is formal, and Dinner is at six. We just got back from Gringotts and saw Lord Black in Diagon Alley." Rory nodded, her stomach in knots at the news that Sirius would be there in a few short hours. "What's supposed to happen, do you know?" James shrugged, "I can only guess. We'll have Dinner, and there will be a bit of small talk, probably political, we can both expect to be asked our thoughts on some things since I'm the Potter Heir, and you're the Knight Heir. Then, after Dinner you and Dad will lead Sirius and his Dad into either the Parlour or Dad's Study, and they'll apologize in whatever way they plan to. They'll probably have brought something material to atone for what happened as well. Mum can't be in the room, but I can, since I was involved, and Dad has to be since he's Lord Potter." Rory nodded again, rubbing the left over sleep from her eyes, and the two talked a bit more, Rory saying she was planning on heading to Surrey to shop with Lily, James saying he was thinking of heading to Remus' that weekend, since he wasn't answering any of his owls, which caused Rory some concern, and she asked him to let her know when he was going, so she could go as well. They talked for about an hour more, and at nearly two, James left so she could get ready.

Miriam knocked on her door soon after, "Have you picked out what you plan to wear yet. Rory?" Rory was standing in front of her wardrobe, looking at her clothes with a critical eye. Finally, she selected two dresses and laid them out for Miriam's opinion. One was a lilac color, floor length with a flowing skirt and tight fitting bodice. It draped off the shoulders and left the arms bare. It was embroidered with vines and flowers throughout and was made of a baby soft material. The second one was a deep purple with a corset tie in the back, also floor length, but cut to fit closer to the body, with spaghetti straps on the shoulders. "I'm leaning toward the lilac one, Mum, what do you thing? With the pewter and amethyst jewelry set?"

Miriam eye the two dresses critically. "They're both lovely, and either one would do, but I agree, I think the lilac one will be perfect. It's a fitting color and cut for the season, and the style of dress itself, along with the jewelry you mentioned and very light cosmetics will compliment you very nicely. I suggest wearing your hair up, in some manner as well. Not a plait, maybe twisted up and letting it cascade from some pewter combs? You can decide. You must be downstairs in the main Entry Hall by quarter to 6, and not a second later." She eyed Rory with concern, "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

Rory nodded. "I have to be. I'll have to face him at School anyway, and you know Dad couldn't refuse or ignore this without causing problems. I'll have Dad and James there with me when he does the actual apologizing, so I won't be alone. I'll be all right. But thank you."

Miriam nodded and hugged her daughter briefly before leaving her to dress. Rory immediately tossed aside her dressing gown and raced to her bathroom, determined to look perfect. She knew she would be able to ask questions before accepting Black's apology, so she thought carefully about what she wanted to say.

At Black Manor, Orion had selected the appropriate robes for his Heir to wear and instructed him to shower, shave and dress immediately. They were going to Gringotts and selecting something from the vault as an appropriate atonement gift. As they were leaving, Orion pointed out a Rune that was embroidered on the left sleeve, "That Rune is essentially a sincerity test. If you are not sincere and truly sorry, it will activate and you will not be able to speak. I've heard that Miss Potter-Knight is very talented in Runes, so she should recognize it. This is the reason that I did not give you a set apology ritual. The words must come from you in order for the Rune to allow you to speak." Sirius nodded, hoping that she would forgive him, and praying to Merlin, the Founders, and every deity he had ever heard of that she would believe him sincere, and that maybe give him another chance. They arrived at the bank and went down to the Vault, Orion instructing Sirius to pick out something and bring it for inspection. Sirius searched around the Vault for what seemed like an hour before finding something. He couldn't find any jewelry that he thought she would like, but as he was walking back to ask for a suggestion from his Father, he passed a book on Runes. A book that had been written by Rowena Ravenclaw herself, who was a notable Runes Mistress. Flipping through it, he saw that much of the information had been lost over the centuries, and thought it perfect.

Heading to the front of the Vault, he handed Orion the book. Lord black raised an eyebrow, "Why did you select this, rather than the more traditional jewels?" Sirius took a deep breath, encouraged by the fact that his father did not seem angry, just curious. "I didn't see anything that looked like it would suit Rory's tastes, but she loves books. She's been third in our year since first year, and I wouldn't be surprised if she was Third in the OWL rankings as well. Runes has been her favorite class since Third Year, and this book looks like something she would love. If it is acceptable to you, Father, I would like to give her this."

Orion flipped through the book quietly as his son spoke and then nodded "It is acceptable. Let's freshen up, we're due there soon."

Rory stood, straight-backed and head held high in the Main Entry Hall of Potter Manor. Her hair was pinned up in pewter clips and cascaded down her back and over her shoulders elegantly, and her clothing and makeup was immaculate. Her jewelry was polished, with the stones, small and understated, glistened when they caught the light. Charlus looked pleased and said she looked lovely, to which she smiled and said "Thanks, Daddy.". James was wearing formal dress robes with the Potter Crest on them, as was Charlus. Miriam was wearing dress robes of a slightly darker lilac than Rory's, that also draped off the shoulder, but only had embroidery on the lower hem, and were cut in line with her age. She was wearing jewelry that had the Potter Crest on it, befitting her status as Lady Potter. The Wards signaled that the Blacks had arrived, and Rory felt her heart beat a little faster from nerves, though she kept herself carefully still. Charlus lead Orion and Sirius into the Hall, and Miriam and Rory curtsied and held out their hands, palms facing the floor, while James bowed. Lord Black brushed his lips over Miriam's hand and smiled at her greeting, and then Rory's, smiling graciously when she said, as she was instructed, as she was the main injured party involved, "Lord Black, Good Evening. May you be welcome and find safety in our home." As custom dictated, she would not speak to Sirius until after Dinner.

They sat down to a light, but still delicious meal, making small talk about politics as James as predicted. Most of the conversation was between the adults, but James and Rory paid rapt attention, knowing the information was important.

As soon as Sirius had set eyes on Rory, his breath caught in his throat. She looked amazing. He always thought she was beautiful, but now he thought she looked heavenly. He had to fight to keep from speaking to her and telling her so, and he wanted so badly to simply fall on his knees and beg forgiveness right then and there, but didn't because he knew his father would be angry at the breach of etiquette and custom.

Dinner was over quickly and Charlus stood, "Lord Black, shall we retreat to the Formal Parlour so that the business of the evening can be taken care of." "Certainly, Lord Potter, I am held at your convenience, of course." Charlus nodded at Rory and James, who stood and followed. Lord Black following Rory and Sirius following at the rear.

An unseen House Elf closed the door behind Sirius and Rory stood between Charlus and James, looking at Sirius without expression...if you didn't look into her eyes, that was. She took one step forward, her head held high and waiting patiently. She saw on Sirius' robes the Rune that was there, and mentally raised an eyebrow, knowing what it was. Orion nodded to his son and Sirius stepped forward, and bowed slightly at the waist, remaining there while speaking. When he spoke, it was earnest, though his voice wavered slightly from nerves. "Aurora Potter-Knight, I recently did you a great wrong. My actions could have resulted in your death, and for that I am deeply ashamed and sorry. I am here before you to beg your forgiveness, although I am completely unworthy of it."

Taking a moment to compose herself, she kept her eyes on the bowed form of Sirius. She asked the question that would determine whether she could forgive him, and whether she could try and speak with him afterward. "Heir Black, before I accept your apology, I must know, are you sorry for your actions themselves, or are you sorry because of the consequences you have faced as a result of those actions?"

Sirius stopped and thought, the question taking him by surprise, while James looked resigned, certain that Sirius' answer was not going to be one she wanted to heard, and Charlus and Orion looked impressed, since not many near 17 year old's would think to ask that question. Sirius knew that if he wasn't honest and sincere, the Rune would not allow him to speak, and if he couldn't speak, he would lose this chance. "I am sorry for both. I am sorry for my actions because what I did was wrong and could have caused irreparable damage, and I am sorry because those actions caused me to lose the best friends I have ever had, in addition to losing you, because I love you more than anything and my life is less without you in it."

Orion blinked, his expression blatantly surprised, as was Charlus' and James'. Rory, however, was blinking back tears. When she felt she could speak without crying, she said "Sirius Orion Black, Rise. Your apology as been accepted and I forgive you."

Taking the book from his father, Sirius straightened and handed it to Rory "As a token of my apology, I present to you this, a book on Ancient Runes written by Rowena Ravenclaw, and contains knowledge on the subject that has been lost for centuries." Blinking in surprised, Rory reached out and took it from him "Thank you, Heir Black. Your gift is both thoughtful and generous."

With the ritual apology completed, everyone in the room relaxed and became slightly less formal. Sirius looked at Rory, desperate to ask if she was his again, but looked in her eyes and saw that though she forgave him, she wasn't able to go back to the way things were. The others in the room saw it too, and James saw the soul-deep hurt in his sister's eyes.

Sighing, Rory reached into a hidden pocket on her dress and pulled out the Black Family Betrothal Ring. Looking at Sirius, she saw that he was close to begging her to keep it and shook her head sadly. "I forgive you Sirius, because I know you are truly sorry and if you were put in the same position again, the outcome would be very different. But my decision stands." She held out the ring for him to take, fighting to keep from crying "I cannot be with you. I know you're sorry, but the fact is what's done is done, and you cannot take back your actions." Sirius looked at the Ring, not taking it, before looking at Rory, his voice and eyes pleading, "Rory, please...I'll do anything."

"You cannot change what has happened, you cannot change the actions you took and you cannot change what motivated you to take them. You were jealous, Heir Black, and for no reason. I saw Severus Snape in the same light I see James, as a brother and a dear friend. My heart was yours and had been for years, ever since you comforted me as I saw my parents dead on the kitchen floor, even since you carried me from their house, ever since you held me and comforted me, but you allowed baseless and unfounded jealousy to dictate your actions. I can forgive that, but I cannot forget it or put myself in a position where it could happen again. I have done so too many times in the past to be comfortable doing so again now."

Sirius looked at her, his heart breaking in his chest as she spoke. He knew she was right and had reason for what she said, but all he could see is that he lost her. Looking over his shoulder at his father, he saw in Lord Black's eyes that any actions he took would not be disciplined, since he knew how Sirius felt. Sirius looked back at Rory and took a step towards her, and grasping the wrist of the hand that still held out the Betrothal Ring. He looked in her eyes and saw that her heart was breaking same as his, and his hated himself for doing this to her. He folded her hand around the Ring "This Ring is yours. If you chose to never speak to me again, if you chose to never be with me, it is still yours. This Ring will not adorn the finger of any other females from me. If it takes forever, not matter what I have to do to prove it, I'll do it. Anything. I only want to be with you."

Rory sighed in exasperation before looking at Charlus, silently asking what to do, but he shrugged helplessly. In a society where most marriages were contracted, this was something etiquette didn't cover. She looked back at Sirius and pulled her hand away, shaking her head and whispering brokenly, trying desperately to keep her tears at bay, "Why do you have to make this so hard? Why can't you just take the Ring and go?" Charlus looked at Orion and said "Lord Black, it appears that, though the evening's business has been satisfactorily concluded, that our children still have things to discuss. It's a beautiful night, shall we retreat to the patio and share a cup of tea, or something stronger, with my wife?"

Orion nodded, "Yes, I believe that would be prudent, Lord Potter. Please lead the way."

As the door closed behind them, Sirius didn't take his eyes off Rory, James sat off to the side, watching warily. He knew he was still there to watch and intervene if things got too bad. "Why can't I just take it and go? Merlin, Rory, These last few weeks I've felt like I couldn't breathe! I've tried so desperately to think of a way, any way, for you to love me again and-" Rory cut him off incredulously, "Love you again? You daft...I never stopped loving you. Until the day I draw my last breath I'll love you as I could love no other. But I simply cannot be with you anymore Sirius." "_Why?_ Why can't you? You know I meant everything I said, you know it was the truth, so why can't we try again? I'm not asking to go back to how things were, I know we can't, but why can't we try for something new, something better, some way to rebuild out relationship?"

Rory looked at Sirius with tears in her eyes. To her never ending annoyance, she couldn't stop one from making it's way down her cheek. "Why can't we? Because Black," here he flinched as though she'd struck him, looking at her with desperation in his eyes, "You're always sorry. You've always apologized and you've always meant it, but it never stops you from doing something similar again. First year, you apologized but it didn't stop you from ignoring me and making me feel like crap the following summer, did it? It's never stopped you, and so how am I supposed to believe that, if by some miracle, Severus isn't traumatized to the point where he can't be around me, it won't happen again? It _always_ happens again, and I have no reason to believe that that will change."

She took a shuddering breath, closing her eyes as she looked away from him, trying to compose herself. After a few minutes she turned back, her expressionless mask firmly back in place. She spoke with a calm she didn't feel, desperate to leave the parlor and retreat to her Suite where she could cry in peace, "Please, Heir Black, take the Betrothal Ring and go. There is nothing left for us to say to one another."

Sirius looked at her, looked in her eyes and heard what she was saying. She was asking him to leave her alone, to act as though the nearly two years they had had together didn't exist, as though it wasn't everything to him. She was asking him to walk away and act as though he didn't need her to feel alive. He couldn't do it. Maybe it was selfish of him, and maybe he should leave but he couldn't. He needed her. Before, he knew he loved her, and knew that it was more than he would ever love another, but now...now he knew he needed her. He knew it as he knew he needed air to breathe and water to drink.

He couldn't let her go. He'd die inside if he did.

And so he shook his head and dropped to his knees in front of her, he threw his damnable pride away and looked up at her beseechingly, desperation making his voice sound breathless. "Please, _please, _don't tell me to do this. Please give me a chance to fix this, to make this right, please. I'll do anything for you, anything at all, but don't ask me to walk away. Don't make me walk away and act like we were never together, don't make me leave without knowing that we have a chance. _I need you_ Rory." Tears that he had been holding back fell from his eyes, even as Rory took a step back, her eyes widening at what was going on, and the last words he had spoken came out a broken whisper. James sat forward, frowning at what he was seeing, but not interfering unless Rory asked him too.

Rory watched Sirius fall to his knees and felt her eyes widen in shock at what he said. Damn him to the pits! She didn't want to hurt him, but he simply would not leave. She sighed, shaking her head. She couldn't do this anymore. It was too much. Looking up at the ceiling, praying for strength, she dropped the Betrothal Ring onto Sirius' lap, looking away from him as he looked at her in horror. "Please stop making this harder than it has to be. And please stop acting as if you're the only one who's heart is breaking, because you're not. I tried to give you your dignity, and I tried, I tried so hard to make this a clean break, even if it would be a heartbreaking one...but I simply cannot do this with you anymore. I cannot fight with you if I have friends you dislike. I cannot wonder what the day is going to bring. Will you send one of my friends into a situation where they could be maimed or killed, or will you just humiliate them in front of most of the school? You're a bully Sirius Black...and now you're trying to guilt and bully me into being with you again. I cannot allow that. I wish you nothing but the best, Sirius, but this is the end of us. Goodbye." Before he could protest, before he could move, she ran from the room and towards the stairs, Charlus, Orion and Miriam, looking in from the patio curiously.

Inside the Parlor, Sirius looked at the Ring she had dropped on his lap before picking it up and clenching it in his fist. It was over. He had begged, he had pleaded, but it wasn't enough. He sat there, his head bowed, not noticing James taking pity on him and grasping his shoulder, barely noticing his father come back in the room. All he could focus on what that he lost her. He lost her because of a stupid prank, and because he had been jealous and incapable of understanding why she had wanted to be friends with Snape. He barely heard his father say goodbye to Charlus Potter and to give Miss Potter -Knight his apologies for what had happened. He barely felt the apparation back to London and barely heard his Father tell Kreacher to help him get ready for bed. He sank against his pillows a while later, his hand still clenched around the Betrothal Ring, and cried himself to sleep.

Rory ran from the room and sprinted up the stairs, making it to her Suite in record time and closing the door behind her before leaning against it, already sobbing. Damn him, why couldn't he have just left? Why did he have to make everything so damned hard? Wiping her eyes angrily, she stripped off her dress, calling one of the Elves to have it cleaned before yanking the combs out of her hair and hastily taking off the jewelry. She grabbed a tank top and pajama bottoms to sleep in and scrubbed her face clean, the whole time with her eyes filled with tears. She hated this, hated that he couldn't just leave, that she had needed to be cruel. And she hated herself a little bit too, for not giving in, even though she had desperately wanted things to be okay again. Even though she wanted to forget what happened, and make everything better. But she couldn't. She knew he was sorry...but he would do it again if she let him. She knew it, and he knew it, and he knew she knew he did, so he didn't bother trying to deny it. And that's why she couldn't be with him, she couldn't go through this again.

A short while later, as she was sitting in the parlour of her suite, there was a knock at her door. Tired to the point of aching, she stood and answered it. It was James, looking at her with concern. Brother and Sister they'd been now for years, but he'd never, even at school, seen her run from a room sobbing as she had that night, and he was scared for her. He looked at her, his eyes reflecting that worry and concern and asked, not seeing Charlus and Miriam down the hallway, having been on their way to check on Rory themselves, "Are you all right?"

Rory looked up at him, her lower lip trembling and tears starting over again and just shook her head before launching herself against her big brother and sobbing against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her, rubbing her back gently and just let her cry, knowing that she needed it. Eventually, she cried herself into exhaustion and he picked her up and put her in bed. As he walked back to his Suite, Charlus and Miriam stopped him to let him know they were proud of how he handled things. Then James went to bed. He knew that when the school year started again, he'd talk to Sirius, because he had known he was truly and sincerely regretting what he'd done, and he'd try and convince Remus of the same. But for now, he was just worried about Rory.

The rest of the summer passed slowly. Rory spent as much time as she could in Surrey, with Lily. She had given her a brief overview of what happened, but acted as though everything were fine. Back at Potter Manor, though, she was quiet and listless. The two full moons of the summer saw Rory in her Suite, sitting quietly, rather than out running the grounds. James and Lily exchanged a few more letters, getting to know one another better. Remus refused to speak to anyone, and his parents turned her and James away when they stopped by. Peter had barely scraped an acceptable in his OWLS, and so was grounded. Again. Their Hogwarts letters came, and James made Quidditch Captain, and that was the first time since the OWLs had come that Rory genuinely smiled.

Sirius didn't leave his Suite for the rest of the Summer, unless it was for his Heir duties, which he performed mechanically. He refused to give his father back the Betrothal Ring, and his father didn't push the issue. Sirius placed it carefully in his trunk, still unwilling to accept that it was hopeless. Little did he or Rory know that Orion and Charlus had been in touch over the states of their children, and were trying to find some way to help them.

Finally, September the First came around and Rory wearily climbed aboard the Express, already wishing it was the Christmas Holidays. She saw Remus and he sat with her and James and Lily, but he was standoffish. The rest of them spent the journey bringing him out of his shell again, and by the time the Snack Cart came around, things were almost back to normal. Severus ignored her, even when she waved and offered a hesitant smile. Sirius and Peter kept to themselves and she wouldn't look at him, even when he saw her walk by and gave a look of such hope that it twisted her heart.

They made it up to the school and sat at the tables, but Rory wasn't paying attention, and barely ate anything. Down at the other end of the table, Mary MacDonald was flirting openly and shamelessly with Sirius, making her want to walk over there and slam her face against the table. Sirius wasn't responding, but it had brought a point home painfully for her. Other girls wanted to be with him. Other girls who weren't werewolves. Other girls his parents wouldn't object to. Other girls who wouldn't be in situations like the one at the end of last term. She sighed.

At the end of the feast, she went up to her Dorm silently and drew her bed curtains right away, and so didn't hear Sirius becoming so annoyed that he yelled at Mary, telling her "Even if I wanted to be with you, which I don't, I wouldn't because of how you treated Peter when he asked you out. Leave me be, I am not available." Which puzzled everyone, because they knew he and Rory had broken up. In the end, most assumed he was subject to a marriage contract, and that was the end of it. When Rory heard, it took all her will power not to collapse on the floor right where she stood. How she made it through that day, she never knew.

Remus forgave Sirius, after James told him what had happened and explained the Rune Sirius had been wearing. However, Remus still couldn't get his control back. He'd developed something of a block about it, and so the first full moon of the year was spent with Rory fighting to keep Remus from attacking himself. The results were not nearly as bad as First Year, though. Only a little bruising.

Rory refused to stay in the same room as Sirius. If he was in the Common Room, she wasn't. She sat on the opposite side of the room from him during classes and threw herself into her work, becoming tied with Lily for grades.

Not nearly quickly enough, the Christmas Holidays finally arrived.


	20. Chapter 19

**Reunions, Reconciliation, and Revenge**

_AN: There will be a bit of smut on this chapter. After the angst, of course, lol. Nothing major, nothing hyper graphic and nothing involving characters that are not of age yet, but bear in mind that the characters are now 16 and 17 years old, and that 17 is of age in the Wizarding World. As of this chapter, James, Rory and Sirius are of age._

As with years previous, Rory stayed at Hogwarts for the Christmas Holidays. She had wanted to go back to Potter Manor that year, mostly to hide in her Suite and wallow in some very therapeutic misery, but Charlus and Miriam wrote and said they had some conferences to go to, and it would be better if she and James stayed at school. She found out that Sirius was staying as well, and groaned to herself. James had gotten the almost the entire rest of the Tower to go home for Christmas, so it was just the Marauders and Rory, Mary MacDonald (who had spent the last few months blatantly flirting with Sirius, and often claimed in the Dorm that she was planning on becoming the next Lady Black, setting Rory's teeth constantly on edge), and a few of the Seventh Year boys.

The thought of spending the next three weeks sharing a Dorm with the female who told anyone who would stand still long enough that she had her 'Daddy' send a marriage contract to Lord Black between her and Sirius, and that they would surely be wed right out of school, did not sit very well with Rory, and she decided it would be a near miracle if she made it until the end of the Holidays without causing her roommate serious injury. Despite the fact that she told herself she didn't care if it was true or not, she asked James, who told her Sirius had said that yes, a contract had been sent, but that it had been rejected, as Lord Black told Sirius that he did not intend to bind him to any contracts. Apparently Mary hadn't heard that particular news.

Rory was fairly certain that James had some scheme in the works to get her and Sirius back together, and was determined to avoid it. She also had a sneaking suspicion that her Mum and Dad were involved as well. She came down from the girl's dormitory after much loud begging from her brother from the bottom of the stairs, and sat curled up on the sofa near the fire, reading. Had anyone looked, they'd have seen her reading the book on Runes that Ravenclaw had written and she had gotten from Sirius that summer. Had they paid any attention, they would have seen that, even though she gave every appearance of reading, that her eyes weren't focused.

Sirius tried multiple times to get her attention, but she acted as though he wasn't there. She was lost in her thoughts, acting as though she were reading, but really wondering what would have happened if she hadn't made him leave in the Summer. Even though no one had discovered who he was contracted with, the fact that Sirius told every female who approached him that he wasn't available, and yet didn't seem at all happy about it, confirmed for her that the rumor was true. She looked up as one of the Seventh Years, a rather fanciable prefect named Micheal Rowle, and blinked in surprise and curiosity as he came over and sat next to her, leaning close to her. Had she looked towards the Marauder's table, she would have seen a watchful James in Big Brother Mode and a scowling Sirius.

Rowle looked nervous about something, but she waited patiently to see what he wanted. After taking a deep breath, he looked at her and said, "Hi, Rory. Listen, there's a Hogsmeade day tomorrow, and I was wondering if you wanted to meet up in the Three Broomsticks, maybe get a butter beer or something?" Rory blinked, caught totally by surprise and agreed, smiling slightly. They made plans to meet at one at the popular pub before parting, Rowle with a small smile on his face. Rory marked her place in her book before standing and heading back up to her Dorm to put it away, blushing slightly.

Sirius watched from across the room, frowning and resisting the urge to hex Micheal Rowle until he looked like a sea slug. He looked at though he hadn't slept at all since the Summer, haggard and worn. Of course, that could be because he had detention for two hours every night with Filch and then had to complete his homework as well. He took every class Rory took, since they had gotten similar grades, but she always sat with either James or Lily. He hadn't even snuck out to the Shack during the Full Moon because he wouldn't be able to stand being around her if she was just going to ignore him, and he couldn't afford to get caught, being in enough trouble already. He sighed, banging his head against the table when he heard Rory agree to a date. He missed her so much. He'd heard the rumor that he was under a marriage contract, but hadn't bothered to refute it, knowing that it would make more girls start flirting with him again. But now, watching Rory go, he wondered if maybe she believed it, and worse, if she believed that he was under contract to Mary.

He'd been appalled at hearing that Mary MacDonald's father had sent his father a marriage contract offer, and words could not express his relief upon hearing that his father had, thankfully rejected it. He'd written that Viscount MacDonald stated he'd be breaking this news to his daughter during either the Easter or Summer Holidays, and asked that Lord Black and his son respect that. So, unfortunately, Sirius was stuck with a girl he had no interest in making cow eyes at him.

Rory came back downstairs, wearing jeans, boots and a sweater and left the common room without a word, but looking slightly cheered, albeit still lost in thought. Sirius looked after her miserably, but blinked in surprise when he saw something he hadn't seen in months. The hair sticks he had gotten her for Christmas in Second Year, she was wearing them. He jumped up from his seat, startling the others, ignoring Mary's calling out for him, and ran after her, catching up with her in the Entrance Hall. He skidded to a stop in front of her, and just stared, his eyes drinking her in, looking at her as though he hadn't seen her in years. And he stared at her hair before looking back into her eyes. As soon as he focused on her face, he was worried, She had gotten thinner and losing weight she didn't need to had given her a gaunt appearance. There were dark circles under her eyes and her skin had a greyish pallor to it. And even with all that, she was the most beautiful female he had ever set eyes on. Slowly, carefully, afraid she would bolt if he moved to fast, he cupped her face, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs as he just looked into her eyes, willing her to see what he was feeling.

He knew what was reflected in his gaze, everything he felt for her, and the sadness he felt with her gone. How much he missed her, and how desperately he needed to be with her again. But as he looked in hers, he felt as though ice pierced his heart. Her eyes were empty. There was no more of the spark of life that she always had in them. There was no emotion. There was nothing.

Suddenly, Rory's eyes focused on him and there was a small spark in them again, though her eyes were still so incredibly sad. She shook her head, rousing herself from the stupor she had been in, and stepped back, breaking the contact between them before going to step around him. With a low growl of frustration, Sirius put his hands on her shoulders and said, "Rory, please. Wait."

Without looking at him, she sighed "Let me go, Black." With a sound that sounded like half sigh, half strangled sob, he leaned his forehead against hers, his grip tightening on her as he spoke "Please just stop and talk to me." She could have tilted her head up slightly and her lips would have been touching his, it would have been so easy to do it, so simple, and she so desperately wanted to. He was so close that his lips were millimeters from hers, their breath mingling, and all she had to do was tilt her head ever so slightly. But she didn't.

Instead, Rory shook her head and stepped back, a spark of anger in her eyes "Leave me be. Whoever you're contracted to isn't going to appreciate you talking to your _ex._" She stepped around him, quickly heading out the front doors, leaving him stunned behind her. She had actually believed it. She thought he was marrying someone else, and so she'd moved on. He saw in her eyes that she was still hurting, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. She had a date the very next day, Christmas Eve, a day that would normally see her sticking close to James or himself or one of the other Marauders as she remembered the events of her first year. He imagined her crying on Rowle's shoulder instead of his, and his gut clenched horribly. He sighed to himself and trudged miserably back up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. He saw Mary sitting in a chair by the fire and decided to sit next to her, maybe a little harmless flirtation would make him feel better.

Rory stood on the stairs of the Castle, letting the cold breeze hit her. She welcomed the fresh air and thought for a few minutes about her date tomorrow. A date. A date with someone who wasn't Sirius. She was, of course, nervous. She stayed pretty close to her group of friends, and was still, despite being of age, fairly awkward around people she didn't know well. After about a half an hour, the chill had started to seep through her sweater, and she decided to go back inside, smiling genuinely and waving at Rowle when she saw him in the Common Room. As she turned around to sit with James, Remus and Peter, her eyes landed on the sofa near the fire, and she froze. If it hadn't been for the last few months of pretending she was fine, her face would have clearly betrayed the turmoil she was feeling.

On the sofa was Sirius. And practically on his lap and attached to his lips was Mary MacDonald. She was very aware of everyone in the Common Room watching her, so rather than give into her impulse to grab Mary by the hair and drag her off of her Sirius, she merely raised an eyebrow and sat next to her brother. He looked at her, concerned, and asked, not bothering to whisper "Are you all right?" To which she smiled, a very convincing smile, and replied, "Of course, James. Why wouldn't I be?" which caused Sirius to look up at her in surprise until Mary turned him back to face her. Remus and James exchanged an uncomfortable look, and decided to remain silent, while Peter looked frustrated. "Rory, can you help me, I'm having trouble with this Defense Theory on Shields, and I really want to pass my OWL this time." So, rather than have to find ways to ignore Sirius and his little friend, she busied herself explaining the the difference in Shield Charms to Peter. When she went up to the Dorm later, Mary was looking particularly smug, but Rory just rolled her eyes.

The next day Rory woke up and showered quickly. She pulled on a pair of simple but form fitting jeans that had runes embroidered on the stitching, and a deep green corset top that clung to her nicely and gave her a bit of extra cleavage. She left her hair down after running a brush through it, giving it a nice tousled look that she enjoyed and satisfied herself with a dusting of eyeshadow and a bit of lip gloss before grabbing her cloak and heading downstairs to the Common Room. Sirius was there, holding Mary's hand while she pouted, but staring at her, while James looked angry, Remus uncomfortable, and Peter was trying to ignore everything. Micheal was waiting by the portrait hole, so she walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek as greeting, seeing the look of anger that Sirius tried to hide. Knowing that Sirius was banned from Hogsmeade until his father said otherwise, she prepared herself for a nice day out. Michael helped her up into one of the carriages, and when they got to the village, they reconfirmed their plans to meet up at one, and then left to finish some Christmas shopping.

Unlike other years, Rory did not bother buying Sirius a present, and she also left out Severus, since he showed no inclination toward being her friend again, and she didn't want to make him uncomfortable. She wandered through one of the second hand shops nearby, knowing that sometimes you could find something great in them, and paused, setting eyes on a full sized poster of Puddlemere United, which was James' favorite Quidditch team. And it was signed by every single team member, framed and on perfect condition. She picked it up immediately. And near to it, found a couple of the teams old playbooks. They were five years or so out of date, but James would tear through them regardless, looking for ideas, since Puddlemere had been at the top of the league around that time. She paid for them and the shopkeeper shrunk them down for her so she could carry them easily, and she left. She checked her watch and saw she was due at the Three Broomsticks, and so went straight there, where she saw Micheal had already commandeered a booth for them. She did see James and Remus sitting nearby, but offered them no more than a friendly wave, resulting in exasperated looks in her direction.

Micheal and she chatted easily, there were no awkward silences, but she didn't feel as though a relationship would work. She found herself talking with him as she would talk with Remus or Peter. They could be friends, but that's all she saw him as. On the walk back to the carriages, she told him so and he agreed. They rode back up to the castle and he walked her back up to the Tower, all the while them still chatting like friends. It was Micheal who brought up the situation between her and Sirius trying to talk to her about maybe giving him another chance. Rory found this a little strange, but it was nice to talk to someone about some of the situation who was on the outside, so to speak. Maybe she'd get a different perspective.

"I knew, hell the whole Tower knows, that you still have strong feelings for Sirius Black, but I had to try, you know?" She nodded, smiling, "Yeah, and at least we still had a good time anyway, and there are no hard feelings." "None at all. Hopefully you and Black can work things out soon, Rory. I don't know what happened, and if you don't want to tell me then that is absolutely fine, but we can all tell he misses you too. He makes it fairly obvious, the way he looks at you when he thinks you're not paying attention, and sometimes even when he knows you are."

Rory laughed, a little bitterly, "And did you reach that amazing conclusion before or after Black and MacDonald started thrashing about like eels on the sofa?" Micheal winced, "Yeah, that _was _pretty gruesome...he should be careful. MacDonald has a habit of reading too far into things. I dated her briefly last year, and she made all these assumptions about us getting married after school and such. It was weird. Plus, with her saying her dad sent his a contract..." Rory shrugged "She's talked all year about sinking her claws into him, but it's not my problem. But I'll let James know about it, and he can tell Sirius. Coming from me it would look like I was jealous. I might try and work things out with him, though, if he's still willing. I'll talk to him tomorrow about it."

They reached the portrait, and Micheal gave the password (Dragon hide), and they climbed in, only to find complete and utter chaos. Mary was standing next to Sirius, a beaming smile on her face, and Remus and Peter looked highly uncomfortable, and James looked absolutely livid and his fists were clenched at his sides, a look that Sirius shared. Micheal and Rory exchanged a confused look, wondering what they had walked into. What had happened in the few hours they'd been gone that could cause such differing reactions?

Micheal decided discretion was the better part of valor and made haste towards his Dorm, after kissing Rory on the cheek and her telling him that she had a nice time with him. Rory looked an inquiry at James, but before he could answer, Mary spoke, sounding utterly overjoyed, and exceedingly smug, "Rory, you'll never guess it! Sirius and I are betrothed!" Rory froze and turned very slowly to face Mary and saw the betrothal ring Sirius had once given her, _her ring,_ sparkling on Mary's finger. She raised an eyebrow and sneered rather hatefully, her voice practically oozing hatred, "Is that so? Well, Mary, Black, I wish you both nothing but the best. Excuse me, I have Christmas present to wrap." And ignoring Sirius' frantic shaking of his head, she whisked her cloak off her shoulder and left the room. As soon as the door closed behind her, she closed her eyes wearily. "So much for promises." She sighed and enlarged her presents, hearing shouting from down in the Common Room, but refusing to go back down there. She set to wrapping her presents quietly, pushing the entire matter out of her head for now.

Downstairs, Sirius grabbed Mary's arm and whirled her to face him, snarling in her face, "Where did you get that ring?" Mary looked surprised, both by his anger, and by the tight, painful grip he had on her arm. She'd most likely have a bruise. "I saw it when I went up to your Dorm to get the Arithmancy book you asked me to grab from your trunk. Obviously you were just waiting for Christmas before you gave it to me, why else would you have started snogging me yesterday? I mean, it's obvious that your Father approved the marriage contract, why else would you have this ring with you?" Sirius groaned and grabbed her hand at the wrist, taking the ring off her finger and glowering at her "Are you daft, woman? Listen to me MacDonald, I will _never_ be betrothed to you. I will never even date you. I will especially never enter into a marriage contract with you. You were great for a quick snog, but this Ring is for one person, and one person only. Yesterday, and today, was obviously a mistake. I should have known better."

Mary looked up at Sirius with wide eyes "You can't possibly mean that, Siri.." she reached out to touch his arm, only to have his patience snap, fueled by the look on Rory's eyes when she had seen that ring, _her ring, _on the finger of someone else after he had sworn to her that no one else but her would get that ring from him. "_Leave me alone, MacDonald! I do not want anything to do with you!"_ He shouted at her, getting in her face before James pulled him away so he wouldn't do something that would get him in more trouble. Sirius spun around and stalked out the portrait hole, furious. He put the Ring into his pocket and stalked out to the Lake, hoping the cold would help clear his mind. He sank to the ground, sighing to himself, wondering how he was ever going to get Rory to speak to him again, or even look at him. Nothing else mattered to him at this point. He'd tried throwing himself into his studies, he'd tried leaving her alone, he'd tried everything he could think of. He just had to think more.

Mary stood there, her eyes wide in shock. She felt her cheeks heating up in embarrassment and anger and turned, stalking back up to her Dormitory. She went in, slamming the door behind her and looked at Rory, intending to scream at her, only to have Rory give her a look that would have reduced the hottest pits of damnation to something resembling the arctic. Mary threw herself on her bed and yanked the hangings closed, sobbing into her pillow. Rory raised an eyebrow, supremely unconcerned. She secured the presents she bought in her trunk, locking with with a blood based ward as was her way, before heading back to the Common Room. Sirius was no where to be found, all the better since she didn't feel she could be around him, but the rest of the Marauders were there, hanging around and playing Exploding Snap. Rory curled up in her favorite chair and watched them for a while, no one bringing up what had happened, as they were all rather afraid of Rory's rather volatile temper.

As darkness started to fall outside, Rory found herself getting worried. Sirius had not come back to the Common Room yet, and she knew he didn't have detention, as it was Christmas Eve. She thought about Mary's behavior up in the Dorm an decided to look for him. If for no other reason than to confront him. She stood, saying, "I'm going to look for Sirius." James looked up, startled to see how late it was and nodded, Remus and Peter stood as well, all saying they'd help. They left the Common Room and split up, Rory following Sirius' scent outside. Since She, Sirius and James were all of age, the curfews did not apply to them during school breaks and they didn't have to stay in the Castle walls, so Rory walked out the front doors without worry. She walked down to the Lake and saw Sirius sitting in the spot where they had made their relationship official, sitting on the ground with his knees drawn up against his chest.

It was bitterly cold and had started snowing heavily some hours before, with enough having stuck to the ground to make sitting on it a very wet endeavor, so Rory drew her wand and cast a warming charm at Sirius, even as she shivered lightly, having forgotten her cloak, which caused him to jump and turn around. She spoke softly, still looking at him, as she chafed her own hands up and down her arms for warmth. "We were getting worried, Padfoot. It's freezing, and you've been out here a long time." Sirius looked at her, his eyes wide as he scrambled to his feet. She hadn't spoken to him this kindly in at least six months, and she hadn't used that name for him in just as long. He stood, still shivering despite the warming charm, prompting her to cast another, more powerful, one. "It would not do for you to be ill on Christmas Day. Let's go back inside. Your..._betrothed_" she practically spit out the word, her tone saturated with contempt, "will be looking for you." She turned to leave.

Sirius darted forward, grabbing her hand quickly, "We're not betrothed." he said in a rush, hoping to stop her from leaving, hoping she would stay and at least listen to him this time. She turned her head slightly, not quite looking at him. "What do you mean? Why was she wearing m- the Black Family Betrothal Ring, then?" She had almost said 'Why was she wearing my ring', but managed to stop herself. She saw no sign that Sirius had noticed the near slip. And he hadn't, so focused on telling her that he wasn't betrothed to anyone else, so he hurried on as soon as she stopped talking, "She went up into my trunk because I asked her to grab a book on Arithmancy I needed, and she saw the ring and assumed it was for her. I swear, Rory, I _never_ gave it to her. I was furious when I saw her wearing it. Then Prongs, Moony and Wormtail came in and she told them we were betrothed, and I thought Prongs was going to lose it. Then you and Rowle showed up and you know what happened after that."

Rory's heart was beating in her chest so hard that she was sure he could hear it. Unable to help herself, she looked up at him, her eyes locking on his, unable to mask the hope that was in them. "You're not betrothed to Mary?" Shaking his head, keeping his eyes locked on hers, Sirius reached up and cupped her face with his free hand and she leaned into the touch, craving it. He stepped closer to her, moving slowly, repeating the words he had told her in June while still grasping her hand, "I need _you_, Rory. I could never even consider being with anyone else."

She sighed softly, shaking her head and starting to take a step back, but Sirius wouldn't let her. "No, please don't go. These last six months have been Hell. Everyone says that it will get better, that I'll get over it and move on, but I haven't. And I won't. Every second, every moment, has been a battle to get through. Please give us another chance. Give me another chance. Let me show you I can be better than what I was. I know you miss me too, I can see it. I saw it earlier in the way you looked at me in the Entrance Hall. Please, I can't think of anything else I could do to fix this, I'll never even _look_ at Severus Snape again if that's what it takes, I'll pretend he doesn't exist, just please-"

Rory put a hand over his mouth, smiling a little as she remembered when she did this in First Year, and explained quietly, "Severus and I are no longer friends. And I know you won't prank him anymore, or anyone else, or else you'd be expelled. But what will happen if I remain friends with, say, Micheal Rowle, as I plan to? He's a nice guy, and treated me nicely when we were out today. And he understands that the only thing that would happen between the two of us is friendship. So, will I spend my days arguing with you over my friendship with him instead? Would I have traded one source of arguing for another?"

Sirius leaned his forehead against hers, as he had done earlier, and she took her hand away from his mouth so he could answer, neither of them paying any mind to the snow that still fell around them. "I promise, Rory, that you won't be. I get it, I was jealous, but I know better now. I don't know why I was so jealous, but I swear I'm over it. I won't act like that again, I promise you. I can be a better man. I can be better than who I was, but I need the chance to prove it to you."

Standing very still, she kept her eyes on his, a frown on her face "What about your contract?" Sirius shook his head, smiling a little at the silliness of the rumor, "There was never any contract. I told everyone I wasn't available because the only one I want to be with is you. Everyone just assumed there was a contract, and I let them so that I wouldn't have to keep turning people down. My father told me ages ago that he would never put me in a marriage contract. Mary was a mistake. I wanted to tell her that her contract had been rejected, but her father asked us not to, saying he wanted to tell her himself over either Easter or Summer. All I could think of when I was with her yesterday and today was you, but I still shouldn't have done it. I didn't think it through, and I'm sorry." Rory blinked, wanting so desperately to believe what he was saying, wanting so much to lean against him, but she couldn't.

"What about your parents?" Sirius shook his head, smiling slightly. "My father is more Neutral than Dark, and knows how I feel about you. He's known since Second or Third Year. I had to get his permission for the Betrothal, after all. My mother can't say anything about it, because of the Family Rules, and when my father dies, I'll be Lord Black. There's nothing she can do. I mean sure, she can yell, but that's it. If you'll have me, if you still want me, I'm all yours. Always."

Rory bit her lip softly, something she always did when she was thinking, and drove Sirius' already overactive hormones into hyper drive. Unable to help himself, he cupped her face with both of his hands and leaned in, kissing her lips softly and gently.

As soon as his lips touched hers, Sirius felt better, more relaxed. It felt right for him to be kissing her. Rory stood stock still as she felt Sirius cup her face and kiss her, her stomach in knots. Unable to resist, she pressed herself against him, her lips gave a little under his and then his arms were around her, holding her tightly against him by the waist, his fingers gripping her hips. He broke the kiss briefly, only to flick the tip of his tongue across her lips, seeking entry. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him close, kissing him deeply, her tongue dancing with his. He reached a hand up and curled it into her hair, his other hand at the small of her back, pressing her as tight against him as he could, his body reacting to her as it always had. She moaned softly into the kiss before they pulled apart, looking at each other. Sirius brushed the hair out of her eyes, smiling slightly. She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed slightly and her lips swollen from his kiss. Sirius cupped her face again, trailing his thumbs over her cheeks. "Can we try again, Rory? Please? I miss you so much. I haven't had a decent night's sleep since June. I dream about you. I can barely eat. I can't concentrate on anything."

For the second time that night, Rory placed her hand over Sirius' mouth, silencing him. She looked up at him, locking her eyes on his and searching for sincerity, which she found. She hoped that this wouldn't end badly, that she wouldn't regret what was to come, and nodded. "One last chance, Sirius. One more try. I can't promise anything else."

A smile broke over his face, wiping out the previous haggard appearance. He picked her up around the waist and spun her around, ignoring her indignant yelp. He pressed his lips against her forehead and held her tightly, so happy he could barely stand it. Rory smiled, his obvious happiness infecting her, even as she started shivering from the cold again. Feeling this, Sirius looked at her, brushing some of the snow off her shoulders and from her hair, casting an appreciative look over her clothes, "By the way, I know I didn't say it earlier, since you still weren't speaking to me, but you look amazing." Rory smiled, pleased, and blushed slightly, cheekily responding as she pressed against him, "You're only saying that because of the cleavage." Sirius barked a laugh and kissed her forehead again, delighted with her teasing comeback. It had been far too long since they'd been able to tease one another like this, and he was thrilled that it was natural, as though they'd never stopped. "That's not the only reason, though I certainly appreciate the view. Come on, let's go back to the Castle." He wrapped an arm around her waist, resting it on the opposite hip and walked back with her towards the Castle.

Rory stopped short, struck by something she needed to know, something she needed the answer to immediately, before she could take another step. Sirius looked back at her, confused and curious, and she looked at him, her eyes widened slightly as she asked, "Sirius...did you sleep with Mary?" Sirius blinked and was so startled by the question that he answered before he even realized he was doing it, "Of course not. We went even less far than you and I did. Nothing more than kissing." Rory breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, walking back up to the Castle with him.

Using their wands to dry themselves, so as not to leave a trail of snow and slush in the Entrance Hall, they walked, hand in hand, back up to the Tower. The other Marauder's were already there, looking worried. James looked ready to tear his hair out until he saw them. The three boys took in their grasped hands and smiled a bit. James raised an eyebrow at Rory, inquiring silently if everything was good, and she nodded, smiling at her brother.

It was late, nearly midnight, so they went to bed, James, Remus and Peter leaving first to give the reunited couple some privacy to say goodnight. In the warmth of the Common Room, Sirius looked at Rory with a small smile on his face. "Marry me." Rory blinked once, before an amused look came over her face, "Padfoot, we _just_ got back together, let's at least get a night's sleep in before put ourselves back in that position." He sighed, playfully rolling his eyes and kissing her forehead again, "All right. I suppose I can wait for a night." Rory smiled, standing on her toes and kissing him lightly, pressing her body against his, causing him to growl lightly, lightly running his hands up her sides "Silver..." She smirked and nuzzled his neck lightly, her tongue darting out and flicking him softly before whispering in his ear, " I need you, too, Padfoot."

He tightened his arms around her, sighing happily before stepping back. "Get some sleep, love. I'll see you in the morning." Rory nodded before grasping his hand and squeezing lightly and heading up to her dorm, aware of Sirius' eyes on her as she walked. Mary's bed curtains were still closed, heavy breathing coming from inside. She raised an eyebrow, imagining Mary's reaction the following morning before she changed as quietly as she could and climbed into bed, a smile on her face as she fell asleep.

Sirius watched Rory leave, smiling, before he headed up to his own dorm, taking off his outer robes as he went. He saw the other Marauders there, watching him. James had his arms crossed and an uncharacteristically somber look on his face. "Sirius. I know my sister is happier than she has been in the last few months now that you two have reconciled, but I have to say this." Sirius nodded, knowing what was coming and accepting it. "If you hurt her again, if you break her heart like you did this summer, I'll put you in Saint Mungo's for at least three months. The Healers will spend those three months reattaching your limbs, if they can find them." Sirius nodded again, his face sincere as he spoke, "I've learned my lesson, Prongs. I will never hurt her like this again, at least not intentionally." James nodded and grinned, "Padfoot, I'm glad you two finally got back together. I was about to lock you both in a room until you either killed each other or made up." Sirius barked a laugh and the Marauder's all changed and climbed into bed, more eager than he was only hours before for Christmas Day.

The next morning, they were all up early and met in the Common Room, as was tradition at this point. Before she came down, Rory conjured a gift for Sirius, a pair of outer robes that had a Stag, a Grim, a Rat and two wolves prancing on the crest, since she could do permanent conjuration. She wrapped them and put all her gifts in the pile before sitting next to Sirius, snuggling comfortably into his side. Before they could start opening presents, Mary MacDonald came downstairs and saw Rory sitting pressed against Sirius.

Looking furious, she let out a shriek and leaped at the one who she saw as having stolen her boyfriend. Quick as a flash, Rory had her wand out and silently cast "Petrificus Totalus", making the rather crazy female freeze. Standing up, Rory raised an eyebrow at Mary and spoke coldly, her eyes blazing in anger, "If you ever seek to attack me again, MacDonald, I shall make sure it is the _last_ thing you ever do." Flicking her wand, she ended the curse, still glaring at the female. Mary stood, shaking in anger "If it wasn't for you, Sirius would still be with me, Potter. You stole him from me!" Rory only smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Forgive me for doubting, but I simply cannot see how someone would prefer common rocks to jewels, and compared to me, MacDonald, you are nothing but dirt." Behind her, she heard the Marauders let out snickers that they tried to keep to themselves, and Mary glowered before huffing back upstairs to the Dorm. Rory shrugged and resumed her seat, only to be tackled out of it when James opened his presents from her. "Rory, this is the _best present ever!_"

Remus and Peter were equally happy with their presents, though they thankfully refrained from pouncing on her. When Sirius opened his, he kissed her in thanks. She was satisfied with her gifts, which consisted of Gift Certificates to Gladrags and a few other stores. Sirius got her a set of earrings that matched the betrothal ring.

They all split up to dress and Rory, not finding anything she felt like wearing in her trunk, conjured herself the classic Muggle "Little Black Dress" and simple black sheer stockings. The dress was tight, the hem hitting her mid-thigh, and showed about as much cleavage as the top she was wearing yesterday, and was almost backless, except for a strip of fabric across her shoulder blades. She slipped on fingerless lace gloves and brushed her hair. Before slipping on the earrings she had been given, and a simple silver necklace. Black heels that had a strap across the ankle and flexed her legs nicely completed the outfit and she stood, stretching, smirking at Mary when she glowered at her and left the room, hearing the boys downstairs. She saw them all, looking very nice in their robes, with Sirius wearing the one she had given him for Christmas. She stood on the steps and cleared her throat lightly.

Sirius looked up at her and stopped, his jaw hanging open rather comically. James choked on his breath and opened his mouth as if to tell her she had to change, when she turned and raised an eyebrow at him, and he thought better of it. Even Remus and Peter were staring at her, though they were _very_ careful to not let either James or Sirius see them. James dragged Remus and Peter out of the room, deciding he didn't want to see how his sister and best friend would greet one another, saying, "Moony, Wormtail and I will meet you in the Great Hall."

After they left, Rory walked up to Sirius and kissed him in greeting, causing him to groan and take a step back, his eyes roaming over her outfit. "Merlin, Silver...You look...amazing isn't a strong enough word. I'm gonna have a hard time keeping my hands off of you." She smiled slyly, and pressed against him teasingly, leaning up and nipping Sirius' lower lip lightly, saying in a husky voice, "Padfoot, maybe if you're lucky, you won't have to for very long.", making him whimper in a very dog-like fashion and her to chuckle. She lead the way toward the portrait hole, calling over her shoulder, "Come on, love, let's get something to eat."

They made it to the Great Hall without stopping in any broom closets, and sat at the one large table that had replaced the House Tables. Regulus Black, Severus Snape, and a few others who she didn't recognize from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had also stayed behind. Mary came down shortly after them, glaring at Rory through very red eyes. Dumbledore stood "I decided we could have a small party, instead of a formal dinner, so we'll eat and there will be dancing and such! A mini Ball, if you will. Happy Christmas, all of you!" Rory and the Marauders ate quietly, and when Dumbledore flicked his wand at the Wizarding wireless he'd brought in, and soft music started playing, Sirius stood, holding his hand out to Rory with a smile. She took it at gracefully stood, smiling as he swept her into his arms. She pressed against him, though not in a way that would make the professor's make a remark, and they danced around the space cleared for it, lost in each others eyes. After the next few songs, others joined in. A tall Ravenclaw asked Mary to dance, and Dumbledore asked McGonagall. Regulus asked a Hufflepuff girl a year younger than him, and Snape simply scowled at everyone.

As they danced, Sirius said, "So, we've had one night's sleep, Silver." Rory laughed softly, looking up at him, remembering their conversation from the night before, "So we have." Sirius smiled and leaned a little closer to her, whispering shyly, which was rather unlike him, and made Rory's heart melt a little and her knees feel weak, "I have your Ring in my pocket... wear it for me? Please? Marry me when we're out of school." Rory smiled, pressing closer and kissing Sirius on the cheek lightly, mindful of those around them. "Padfoot, nothing would make me happier." He smiled, practically beamed, and pulled the ring out of his pocket, slipping it on her finger so fast it was though he was afraid she would change her mind if he didn't. He kissed her lightly on the lips, whispering, "I love you." making her smile and whisper back "I love you, too."

Neither of them noticed Mary glaring daggers at Rory's back.

The danced a while longer before taking a seat out of the way and talking quietly about nothing. Chatting about classes and such. Rory talked about wanting to go to Gringotts next summer and look through the Knight Vault, and he talked about his Heir duties and the upcoming marriage contract between Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. This time they both noticed Mary staring at them with sheer malice and hatred, but neither paid much attention to it.

Finally, Rory stood and pulled Sirius with her, whispering, "I found something that the Marauders haven't yet, and I want to show it to you." and leading him out of the Great Hall. She brought him up to the seventh floor, and walked three times in front of a blank stretch of wall across from a tapestry of a man trying to teach trolls to dance. A door appeared and she opened it, pulling him inside. Sirius looked around, curious. There was a fireplace, with a fire roaring, and a rather comfortable looking sofa. There were a few tables and a bookshelf stretching across one wall, and bunches of candles giving the room a soft glow. "Where are we?"

Rory shrugged. "I've no idea, really. I was wandering near here, looking for a place to be alone, and this room showed up. It had a few chairs and some books in it, but when I came back it was different. It changes based on whatever you need it for, I think."

Sirius raised an eyebrow "Is that so?" Rory nodded, a rather sly smile on her lips. "I figured it would be a nice place to be alone for a while." she whispered as she pressed against him. "Less of a chance of getting caught than in a Broom Closet."

She giggled as he picked her up and carried her over to the sofa, setting her gently on his lap. "And whatever shall we do while we're alone?" he murmured against her lips, causing her to look at him seriously. "Padfoot, I know we're betrothed and are going to be married, but I want to wait until we are before we go too far." Sirius looked at her, not a trace of a teasing smile on his face as he said, "Aurora, I would never expect you to do anything you're not comfortable with. We'll only go as far as you want."

She smiled and kissed him deeply, pressing herself against him. When they'd been together before, they'd not gone any farther than light petting over clothes, but now she wanted a little more. Sirius moaned against her lips, trailing his fingers lightly across her back. She nipped lightly at his lips before taking off his outer robes and tossing them to one side of the sofa before moving so she was straddling his lap, rather than laying across it. He trailed his fingers down her spine lightly, making her giggle and shiver. He leaned forward and licked the side of her neck lightly, making her lean her head back and press against him, moaning softly.

The sound of the soft moan sent Sirius' pulse racing and he moved his hands further down, cupping her buttocks and pulling her closer. She pressed herself against him as he moved his hands up her side, brushing against the sides of her breasts. She pulled back slightly before capturing Sirius lips with her own, their tongues dancing, fighting for dominance. She pushed her hands under his jumper, trailing the tips of his fingers lightly over his chest and stomach, feeling them tense and jump under her touch. Sirius moved his hands slowly from the sides to the fronts of her breasts, his touch almost hesitant, giving her plenty of time to object. When no objection came, he cupped them lightly and Rory felt his body's reaction to her being pressed so tightly against him. Rory unclasped the back of her dress, letting the fabric fall down to her waist, leaving the top half of her body exposed. Her pulse was racing and she was feeling slightly flushed.

Tenderly, Sirius trailed his hands across the skin, feeling it flush and tighten under his hands. He leaned down, capturing one erect nipple in his mouth and flicking it with his tongue, causing Rory to gasp and moan before arching her back towards him. He slipped on hand under her dress, pressing the spot between her legs lightly, slowly moving his fingers. She let out a strangled little moan and wrapped her arms around him, leaning against him and trembling. He moved his fingers a little faster, kissing and nipping at her exposed skin gently, feeling her tremble against him. He nuzzled her neck lightly, smiling as he felt her tense up, and heard her moan in satisfaction before she kissed him again.

Sirius pulled back, nipping at her neck lightly before looking up at her, his eyes hazy with lust and his skin as flushed as she was sure her's was. Rory thought they'd only be in there for a few minutes, but a check of a clock the Room provided showed that they'd been in there for two hours. Sirius looked at the clock as well, before looking back at her. "Silver, we should stop...I don't want to risk us getting caught up in the moment and going farther than you want to." His hands were on her ribcage and they were both breathing heavily. Rory nodded "You're right. We should stop." She kissed him lightly before climbing off his lap and adjusting her dress and hair, making sure that she didn't appear too mussed. She smiled shyly over at Sirius who smiled back at her before leaning over and kissing her on the temple. He stood, adjusting himself before pulling back on his outer robes and smiling teasingly, "Well, I have to say that's much more comfortable than a Broom Closet."

Rory laughed before leading him out of the room and back towards the Tower.

The spent the rest of the day in the Common Room, playing Gobstones or talking about rumors they'd heard. At about ten or so, they went to bed and Sirius and Rory fell asleep almost instantly. A few hours later, Rory's eyes shot open in the dark. Something wasn't right. Her stomach was knotted in fear and something felt wrong. She laid very still, trying to figure out what it was, when suddenly there was a glint of silver caught on the moonlight, and she moved quickly, yelping as she felt something sink into the flesh of her side, thankfully shallow. She pressed a hand to her side and grabbed her wand as she jumped from the bed, yelling "What the bloody hell are you doing?" She waved her wand at the lights in the Dorm, showing Mary MacDonald standing near her bed, holding her potion's knife and glaring at her. Without saying a word, Mary lunged at her and Rory, rather clumsily, dodged. The wound she had was shallow, not hitting any organs, but was still bleeding heavily, mostly from the silver in the knife.

Silver was fatal to werewolves, but not because it was poison, but rather because when it was combined with werewolf blood, it stopped the blood from clotting, thus preventing wounds from closing. Rory would bleed to death if she didn't make it to the Hospital Wing soon. Mary was blocking the way between her and the door, so Rory did something that was probably not the smartest thing. She lunged at Mary, knocking them both out the door and down the stairs. Rory screamed as the knife sank into another spot on her torso during the tumble, and they both lay at the bottom of the stairs, Mary knocked out from the fall, and Rory with a bleeding wound and a knife sticking out of a second one.

She struggled to her feet, looking around desperately. She stumbled toward the stair, relieved to see lights were coming on, and she heard someone ask who screamed. The last thing she remembered before losing consciousness was calling out, "Help." and falling over.


	21. Chapter 20

**Debts, Debilitation and Denial.**

_AN: I had to do so much research into nobility and fealty oaths for this chapter. I used to love History, I really did, lol. Now, if I ever hear the word "fealty" again, I might scream. ANYWAY: THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR REVIEWS! They have definitely motivated me to work on this chapter every spare second I have. I'm so happy you guys are enjoying the story and have stuck with me, even when I didn't update in, like, FOREVER. ^_^ Also, there is a chance of more smut in this chapter. ^_^_

Sirius raced down the stairs, James right on his heels, both having recognized the voice yelling for help as Rory's. At the bottom of the stairs, they stopped, the sofas and chairs blocking most of the floor so they couldn't see anything. James pointed to the stairs of the girl's dorm, saying "Look!". All they could see was a foot, and they both raced towards it, stopping short as the rest of the scene came into view.

Rory was lying just behind the sofa, a pool of blood spreading around her, a knife sticking from the side of her chest, and another wound steadily oozing blood onto the carpet. James gasped, horrified, before racing our of the Common Room to get McGonagall, while Sirius dropped to his knees, feeling her neck for a pulse, whimpering in a broken voice "No...please don't let her be dead, not now.." He frantically pressed on her neck, his heart in his throat and nearly stopping when he couldn't find one for a minute. He almost sobbed with relief when he finally felt a weak pulse in her neck and pressed his hands over the wound still leaking blood, hoping to stem the flow, and Remus went over to check on Mary.

Remus felt for a pulse on her, feeling a strong one and seeing a rather large bump on her head, but no other wounds. Looking over at Sirius, he saw the knife handle sticking out from Rory's chest and his blood seemed to run cold, knowing that silver does to werewolf wounds. He conjured a simple washcloth and pulled the knife out, knowing that her condition would worsen the longer it was left in, and pressed the cloth to the wound. A few seventh years, including Micheal Rowle, straightened Mary out, so she wasn't half on the stairs.

Sirius kept casting impatient and terrified looks towards the portrait hole, and when it finally opened, he yelled "Hurry, she's bleeding badly!" McGonagall and Pomfrey both hurried over. Pomfrey levitated Rory after putting her in a stasis charm, as she was the more seriously injured. Remus explained in a hurried whisper to the Mediwitch about the knife he had pulled out, causing her to hurry.

Both Sirius and James immediately went to follow and McGonagall turned to them sternly, while Pomfrey hurried on ahead, not being able to wait. "You will both stay here." James and Sirius both straightened, but it was Sirius who spoke "Professor, that is my betrothed who has been stabbed, and that is James' sister. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but there is no way in Hell either of us are staying here." James picked up where his friend left off "We'll stay out of the way, and even just out of the Hospital Wing while Madame Pomfrey is working, but we _will_ be nearby." It was one of the rare occasions that the two normally laid-back boys showed that they were both future Dukes of the Realm and McGonagall looked at them closely before nodding her consent.

The Hospital Wing door closed behind the Head of Gryffindor, but it was only a few minutes later that she came back out. "Miss MacDonald has a mild concussion and will be fine, Madame Pomfrey is still working on Miss Potter-Knight. What do you know about what happened? Leave nothing out, we need all the information you can give us." James answered quickly, "We were asleep and got woken up by someone screaming, and I thought I heard a crash, but I'm not sure. We left the Dorm, obviously curious, and heard Rory call out for help. We went into the Common Room, but didn't see anything right away. Then I saw a foot on the stairs, that turned out to be MacDonald's. When we hurried over, we saw Rory on the floor bleeding and with a knife sticking out of her chest, and became focused on her. I ran out immediately to find you."

McGonagall nodded before turning to Sirius "Mr. Black?" Sirius sighed, "The first thing I did was feel for a pulse, when I found one I pressed my hands over one of her wounds, since the other still had the knife in it, to keep it from bleeding. Remus checked on Mary and some others got her to lay straight, and Remus pulled out the knife in Rory's chest and pressed a cloth over that wound. Right after that you and Madam Pomfrey arrived." McGonagall sighed and nodded again. "I suppose we won't know anything more until Miss Potter-Knight awakens. I need to make a report to the Headmaster. You will both remain _outside_ the Hospital Wing until Madam Pomfrey says otherwise. She will not be able to work effectively with you two hovering nearby. Am I clear?"

The two boys nodded and sat on chairs they conjured as McGonagall hurried to the Headmaster's office to inform him of what had happened. Sirius leaned his elbows on his knees and rested his head in his hands while James sat frowning with his arm's crossed and asked the question that was bothering them both, "Do you think MacDonald attacked her?" Sirius growled softly, "If she did, Then Merlin help her. If Rory doesn't go after her when she's able, there's no telling what I might do." James nodded and they waited in silence, occasionally checking the time.

McGonagall and Dumbledore came by to see if there was news, and to let both boys know that Lords Potter and Black, as well as Viscount MacDonald, had been informed and would be arriving soon. About an hour later, Madam Pomfrey came out, wiping her hands and informed them all, "She's going to be fine. Whoever pulled the knife out did so just in time. She's all right now, just resting, and will likely be in some pain when she wakes up, but there should be no lasting damage. She should sleep until later this afternoon." James and Sirius sagged visibly in relief, and Sirius looked at the staff members "I'm going to sit with her. I know she won't be awake for hours yet, but I am anyway." James nodded and stood "I'll bring both our Dad's here when they arrive." Sirius nodded, offering a small smile in thanks, before heading over and sitting in a chair at Rory's bedside. He noticed that Mary was awake and looking at him, something he couldn't identify in her eyes, but he didn't even acknowledge her, knowing it was unlikely he would keep his temper in check if he did.

Shortly after he sat down, The Hospital Wing doors opened and James lead Lords Black and Potter inside, with Viscount MacDonald bringing up the rear, looking apprehensive. Charlus immediately went to the other side of Rory's bed, asking, "Has there been any change, Sirius?" as he went. Sirius shook his head sadly, "No, but Madam Pomfrey says she should wake up before the evening." Charlus and Orion looked at their sons seriously. "Given what you saw when you found Aurora, how likely do you feel it is that she was attacked by Miss MacDonald?", Charlus inquired. Sirius looked up and nodded "Lord Potter, I would say there is nearly a complete certainty that that is exactly what happened." Charlus straightened and glared over at the MacDonald's. Mary was earnestly trying to explain something to her father, who was steadily becoming paler and paler as she spoke. He cast a terrified look over at Lord Potter and Lord Black before burying his head in his hands.

As Charlus and Orion talked about their options between themselves, ranging from arrest and expulsion to binding the attacker's magic and making her live as a muggle, Sirius sat holding Rory's hand, James sitting next to him. He'd still not gotten over the cold dread he'd felt upon see her on the floor, and he was still shaking at the thought that she might have died. So, when she started waking about a half an hour later, at around 3 in the afternoon, he found himself almost crying in relief. He never once doubted Madame Pomfrey when she said Rory would be fine, but it was still a relief to have her waking up.

Rory opened her eyes, immediately remembering what happened and sat up quickly, wincing as the movement caused her some pain. Her eyes locked immediately on Mary and her lips formed a snarl. The only things keeping her from leaping from the bad at the girl who attacked her were the facts that Sirius was holding her hand, Charlus had a hand on her shoulder, and that Madam Pomfrey was currently casting diagnostic spells on her. Rory looked at the Mediwitch and raised an eyebrow, "So, what's the verdict?" "Well, You're all healed. I'd like to keep you in for observation until tomorrow, but if you chose to leave, I want you to take it easy. Nothing too physically strenuous. Either way you need to stay until the Headmaster gets here. He and Professor McGonagall asked to both be informed when you woke up." Rory nodded, her eyes again locked on Mary, who was starting to look distinctly nervous.

She only broke eye contact when the Professors came in. The Headmaster gestured Viscount MacDonald to listen in before saying "Miss Potter-Knight, how are you feeling?" "Well, Headmaster, since you asked, I feel better. It's amazing how good it feels to not have two gaping stab wounds in your chest." The Headmaster's eyes twinkled in amusement before sobering, "I'm glad to hear it. Can you tell us what happened?"

Rory nodded. "I went to bed, and pretty much fell right to sleep. I woke up a few hours later. I don't know if a sound woke me, or instinct, or something else, but something didn't feel right. I caught a glimpse of silver and dodged out of the way, grabbing my wand. I wasn't fast enough though, and felt something stab me. I stood up, lit the torches in the Dorm and saw Mary standing over my bed with what looked like an ordinary potion's knife. She was directly in between me and the door and, in my effort to get past her, I ended up knocking us both down the stairs, which is how I sustained the second wound. The last thing I remember is calling out for help, and then waking up here."

Dumbledore had a very serious look in his eyes, while everyone else near her beside was looking livid, even Lord Black, especially after he saw she was wearing the Betrothal Ring again. He caught his son's eye and gestured to it with his head, Sirius nodded, allowing a smile to grace his lips before focusing his attention on the headmaster. "Miss Potter-Knight, this is a very serious allegation. Are you certain that Miss MacDonald attacked you?"

Rory looked at the Headmaster calmly as she answered "I would swear it under Veritaserum." causing the aged man to nod gravely. Charlus looked absolutely furious, and James and Sirius looked ready to kill. Rory squeezed his hand lightly and it seemed to calm Sirius down slightly. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead lightly, murmuring "I was so worried. I'm glad you're all right.", causing Rory to smile at him briefly.

Rory looked up at Charlus, who looked deep in thought. After a few moments silence, he spoke. "Aurora, you're of age now, and are eligible, this summer, to take up the Knight inheritance. This means that, in terms of hierarchy, Miss MacDonald attacked Lady Knight, Last Scion to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Knight, Duchess of the Realm." Upon hearing this, Viscount MacDonald paled even further. "What will satisfy you as punishment?" Rory sat back against her pillows, thinking very deeply for a few minutes. Finally she looked up.

"The blame for this attack does not lie with Miss MacDonald herself. Viscount, had you informed your daughter that the marriage contract between herself and The Heir Black had been rejected back in September, this could have been avoided. All it would have taken was an Owl. Instead, you chose to remain silent, and allowed this girl to think there was a chance that she would be the next Lady Black. She has spent the last few months telling any and all who would listen that her and Heir Black would be under a marriage contract. She even went as far as to steal the Black Family Betrothal Ring from his trunk when he asked her to retrieve a textbook. She might very well have attacked me anyway had you informed her, however the fact remains that she also might not have, had she had months to acclimate herself to the fact that she would not be Lady Black in the future." Mary was on the bed across from her, her arms crossed and glaring at Rory while shaking her head. She was muttering to herself, but it was quiet enough where not even Rory could make out the words.

She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Expulsion solves nothing. She is of age and can simply hire tutors to make up her education, so what I propose is this. I ask that she not be expelled, but the Lesser Family of MacDonald, Viscounts of the Realm swear a fealty oath unto the Noble and Most Ancient House of Knight, Dukes of the Realm, thus becoming my vassals. This oath will prevent me from being attacked by either Mary, or any she may ask or hire to act in her stead. If my understanding of vassals is correct, I will essentially become Head of House MacDonald temporarily." Charlus nodded. "I will release the House of MacDonald from this oath on the day that I complete my NEWT's, and instead demand an unbreakable vow that she will never seek to harm me or a member of my family or my allies, either herself or through any third party, and if she has knowledge of a plan to cause harm, that she inform myself of it immediately. Also, I will not share a dorm with her any longer. I suggest she be moved to the fifth year dorms, or myself to a private dorm. Either is acceptable. This way I know I am safe, and she doesn't get her life ruined."

Charlus and Orion looked impressed, and Orion spoke "As Lord Black, and the father of the future Lady Knight's betrothed, I agree and put my support behind her suggestion." Charlus nodded, looking at Dumbledore "As head of the DMLE, and her father, I do as well."

Dumbledore nodded, his expression less grave than it had been before. "I am very impressed, Miss Potter-Knight. Many who this had happened too would be demanding expulsion and arrest, if not something worse. I will arrange for you to be moved to another Dorm, and one of your Dorm mates may move as well, since it's in the Hogwart's Charter that only the Head Boy and Girl or married couples may have private suites in the castle. 50 points to Gryffindor for showing willingness to give others a second chance, and 50 points each to Mr Potter and Mr Black for their quick thinking. Mister Black, I think we can overturn your detentions for the rest of the year as well. I daresay you have learned your lesson." Sirius looked up at Dumbledore, nodding. "I have, Headmaster."

He turned to Mary MacDonald, a stern look in his eye as he spoke "Miss MacDonald, the conditions set forth by Miss Potter-Knight are very generous, considering your actions. She would have been well within her rights to demand expulsion, arrest, or even having your magic bound. In addition to them, you will take Mr. Black's place in detention with Mr. Filch every night for the rest of the year, including the Easter Holiday. Attacks on students are not acceptable, and attempted murder is even less so. I do hope you've learned your lesson. Viscount MacDonald, as Head of the Wizengamot, I will witness your fealty oath whenever Miss Potter-Knight feels she is well enough to hear it, so it is on record and cannot be disputed, if you are agreeable, that is."

Rory spoke up, "I'd rather do it now, if we can, with my father and Lord Black both present as well." Dumbledore nodded and gestured to the Viscount. "Viscount MacDonald, kneel before the Lady Knight and speak the traditional fealty oath. If you do not know it, I can summon a copy that you may read from." Viscount MacDonald shook his head, standing and saying "I know it." in a resigned voice as he crossed the room, pulled his wand and knelt on one knee before Rory. Before he could start the oath, Mary yelled, "You can't really be doing this?" The Viscount stood, glaring at his daughter "You stabbed someone, Mary. You could have killed her! The daughter of the Head of the DMLE, betrothed to the Heir Black, and last Scion of the House of Knight! Had you managed to kill her, there's nothing I could do to save you. The Dementors would have had you. Were Lady Knight more vindictive, she could still demand such! Now hold your tongue!"

He knelt again and held his wand across his palms and extended his arms to Rory, saying as he did so, "_I, Viscount Aaron MacDonald of the House of MacDonald, do so solemnly swear on my magic that I and my Family will in the future be faithful to the Lady Aurora Knight, Duchess of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Knight, and shall never cause her harm and will observe our homage to her completely against all persons in good faith and without deceit, until she clooses to release us from this Oath.. So as I swear it, so mote it be!" _

A white flash of magic engulfed both Mary and the Viscount, and Rory nodded before speaking, using the formal tone required. "Rise, Vassal MacDonald, and instruct your daughter on her new place and the limitations of such." MacDonald rose shakily, bowed at the waist and went back to Mary's bed. Mary herself was sitting on her bed, crying silently, and looking utterly aghast at what had happened. Dumbledore left to make the changes to the Ministry records. Rory smiled shakily at everyone, happy the ordeal was over. James handed her over a small bag "It's just jeans and a plain jumper. I conjured them so you could change." "Oh thank you ever so much for that. Now I can shower and change."

Rory stood and went into the nearby bathroom, showering and dressing quickly before coming back out. Charlus hugged her and said "I'm glad you're all right, and very proud of how you handled this. I need to get going, your mum is probably worried. Owl her later, okay?" Rory nodded and he left, James going with him so they could talk a little. Orion smiled, rather kindly, at Rory as they and Sirius left the Hospital Wing, "I'm glad you and my son have worked things out, Aurora. May I call you Aurora?" Rory smiled, "Of course, Lord Black. I would be privileged if you chose to do so." Orion smiled again, "Very well. Now, If I may make a suggestion to the both of you?" Both Sirius and Rory nodded "Be careful. Be especially wary of my wife, and of Miss MacDonald. We were contracted by my father, and I must admit I find many of her beliefs not to my taste, but she can be ruthless. There is no divorce in our world, and casting her out will strip her of her magic and likely cause her to kill herself, so I can't do that, or rather won't do it, and she knows it, so it pushes her to take matters into her own hands. So my advice is this: Marry as soon as you wish, before you leave school after Seventh Year if you wish it."

Rory looked surprised and curious, so he explained, "After your NEWT results come, I plan on relinquishing the title of Lord Black to Sirius. After that, Walburga would no longer be Lady Black and so her status changes. Ruthless and prejudiced she may be, she will rigidly stick to status. However, if Sirius is not married before then, then as his Mother, she is still able to enter him into a marriage. If he is unwed, he is bound by custom to at the very least enter a betrothal with whomever my Wife selects. Once that happens, she can use the young lady to do whatever it takes to ensure they are married."

Orion paused here, as if deciding how much to divulge. He decided to tell the entire truth, "You already know of the MacDonald's contract that was sent to me." Rory and Sirius nodded. "Well, I've gotten contracts from the Parkinson's, the Rosier's, even the Mulciber's, who's daughter just turned 14. Walburga heavily encouraged me to accept one of these, so I suspect she will attempt to get Sirius married to one of then, as they are more in line with her way of thinking. Ordinarily, I would tell you to wait until you left school, but I don't think it wise in this case. Plus, if the Heir Apparent is married, she will have to stop trying to force me to change the Heir to my younger son, whom I don't believe will lead the Family the way I would like it. Do you both understand?

Rory and Sirius nodded, both looking thoughtful as Orion bade them both goodbye and left, on his way to see McGonagall about reinstating Sirius' Hogsmeade visits, since he was there.. The two walked, each lost I their own thoughts for a while before Sirius stepped in front of Rory. She looked up at him, wondering why he stopped, and he just looked at her. She could see the worry in his eyes. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against his chest, and she could feel him still shaking, or maybe shaking again. "I was so scared for you. You can't imagine how I felt when I saw you on the floor, you were so still, and there was so much blood..." He trailed off, and Rory wrapped her arms around him, returning his hug, knowing he just needed to feel her right then.

After a few minutes he pulled back, grasping her hand and asking something he was curious about. "Why did Remus pull the knife out, and why did Madam Pomfrey say he had done so just in time?" "Silver is fatal to werewolves, Padfoot. On the skin, it's fine. But when introduced in a wound, it does something to the blood that makes it not clot, and any wounds just keep bleeding until a healer gets to them." Sirius paled and turned back as though he was headed back to the Hospital Wing, but Rory gripped his hand tightly, turning him to face her. She looked up into his eyes and said "Let it go, Love. I'm here, I'm all right, just let it go. Trust me when I say that MacDonald being my Vassal hurts her more than anything you could do." Sirius cocked his head to one side, "What? Why?"

Rory got a decidedly evil smirk on her face. "Well, for one thing, I basically own her right now. She can't do anything without my permission. She can't go to class, do her homework, or do anything aside of eat and sleep. I also have the ability to enter her into a binding marriage contract, since I'm essentially her Head of House now." Sirius barked a laugh, kissing her temple, "Now that is far better than any prank." They had been wandering the halls for some time, stopping at the Owlrey so Rory could email her Mum, and now found themselves back on the Seventh Floor. It was Sirius who walked back and forth in front of the wall, and when he lead her inside, she saw the equivalent of a comfortable study. She looked at Sirius with a curious expression and he simply said "I think we should talk, what with what my Dad told us earlier."

Rory nodded and curled up comfortably in a chair. Sirius sat nearby, looking thoughtful. "My Dad's right about Mother. She's been trying since I got to Hogwarts to get Dad to name Reg the heir. If I'm named Lord Black and unwed, she will do everything she can to make sure I'm wed to someone suitable. In her mind, suitable is pureblood and probably a Death Eater. And it wouldn't matter to her if I'm betrothed to you or anyone else at the time."

Rory leaned back in her chair, tucking her legs under her. "Sirius, I can understand that, but we just got back together. We _just_ became betrothed again. You still have more to learn about being Lord Black, I have to get the Knight estate in order..I simply don't know if I can add 'getting married and becoming Lady Black' to that list. Plus, I'm not comfortable making a decision this big without getting input from my Family. Neither of us know how being married will effect our schooling, or what duties we'll have as a married couple. We both have seats on the Wizengamot. I'm just not sure it won't be too much right now."

Sirius nodded, "You're right. It's not something we can decide right now, we do still have the rest of this year and all of next year to figure things out. I'm just worried about Mother and what she'll do. I don't know if Father told her about the Betrothal, or anything." Sirius leaned forward, his eyes somber and said seriously, "I just don't want you to get hurt. I especially don't want my Mother to do something to you." He took a breath and looked away, "And I'm worried that when you see how inclined she is towards blood bigotry and the Dark Arts, you might not want to be with me anymore." Rory smiled gently before getting up and crouching before Sirius. She reached out and gently cupped his chin with her hand, turning his head so he was facing her again. "Sirius, I love you. I fell in love with you. Not with your mother, or your family. You. Your mother is not going to frighten me off, I promise." She leaned up and kissed him gently and he smiled at her.

They stood before heading back to the Common Room, hand in hand. They went in and saw James sitting with Remus and Peter. After assuring them she was all right, they all sat comfortably and talked. Rory and Sirius fell asleep on the sofa together.

The next morning they woke up to an indignant shriek. Jumping slightly, they turned and saw Mary MacDonald standing there looking livid. She put her hands on her hips and glowered at Sirius, snapping at him "What are you doing on the sofa with _her?_" Snarling slightly, Rory stood as the Marauders walked in from the Dorm, her patience stretched to its very limit. "Right, that is enough. Vassal MacDonald," Mary froze, scowling and glowering hatefully at Rory. "Listen to these words, Sirius Black, Heir Apparent to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, Dukes of the Realm and I are betrothed. You have no claim on him. As my vassal, I am decreeing that you may not speak to him, write to him, send him messages through a third party, or contact him in any way that is not vital to either his safety or my own." Mary looked enraged "You can't do that! He's mine! She promised!"

Rory simply rolled her eyes, filing away her words for later pondering. "I can and I have. Now return to the Dormitory and sit on your bed. You are confined to the Dorm unless it is for meals. Surrender your wand. You will not need it. I'll be writing to your father tonight to inform him of this breach of the oath." For a split second, it looked as though Mary were going to start throwing hexes, but the magic involved in the fealty oath kicked in and she handed Rory her wand and walked up to the dorm without a word. Rory sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose lightly before a throat clearing made her look up. Professor McGonagall was standing by the portrait hole, a small smile on her face "Ten points to Gryffindor for not resorting to violence to solve a tense situation. Go upstairs and gather your belongings and meet me back here. The Headmaster has instructed I show you to your new room."

Kissing Sirius on the cheek, Rory hurried upstairs and packed everything in record time before shrinking her trunk and meeting McGonagall back in the Common Room. Near the portrait hole was a suit armor. McGonagall asked "Have you decided whom you would like to share the dorm with?" Rory nodded, "I was going to ask Lily Evans when she returns for the next term." The Professor nodded and showed Rory how to open the entrance to the Dorm. The Dorm had it's own common area, which was nicely furnished, and two separate rooms, each with a large bathroom attached. McGonagall lead Rory to one before saying sternly "You are betrothed and of age, Miss Potter-Knight, and so there are no restrictions on your activities. I only ask that you take any proper precautions and be discreet. I'll leave you to unpack." "Thank you, Professor."

When McGonagall left, Rory quickly set herself up before showering and dressing quickly. She met the Marauders by the Portrait and they went down to breakfast, Mary following along and sulking.

The next couple of days passed in the same way. Mary approached Rory and asked for her wand back, claiming to need it for holiday homework. Rory gave it back with the instruction that it was _only_ to be used for homework. The Marauders unveiled something they'd been working on since last year, something they called The Marauder's Map. They each had a copy, and it was a marvel in Charms work. It tracked every single person who was in the castle, no matter who they were. James and Sirius used it mostly for sneaking food fro the kitchens. It showed every passageway, every hidden hallway, and the passwords to each of them. Rory was amazed and impressed in spite of herself.

The students returned the January second, and Lily was thrilled to move into a private dorm, though she was horrified at what Mary had done. After she unpacked, they were sitting in their common room talking, Rory explaining the fealty oath and what it entailed when Lily had asked, when there was a knock at the suit of armor. Rory opened it to find James there and stood back to let him in. James looked nervous as he walked over to Lily and sat next to her. Rory thought she knew what was coming and so leaned back against a wall to watch.

James cleared his throat "Lily, I know you've disliked me for a while, but we've been talking since the Summer and, since you've gotten to know me better, I was wondering if you would do me the honor to accompanying me to Hogsmeade on the next visit." Rory watched, smiling slightly as her friend had confided in her that she was growing to have feelings for her brother. Lily blushed slightly and said "I'd like that very much James. Thank you for the invitation."

Deciding to leave before he messed up, James bade the two goodnight and left. After the armor was back in place, Rory threw up her hands and exclaimed, "Thank Merlin! It's about time you tow got together!" Lily laughed and threw a pillow from the sofa at her friend before the collapsed I rather girlish giggles.

Term started with no drama. Rory was getting steady Owls about the Knight Estate, Sirius was busy with his Heir duties, James was starting to court Lily steadily. Armed with the Marauder's Map, they started sneaking out to the Shrieking Shack during full moon's again. Rory had to admit that she had missed the Animagus' spending the night with them in the Shack. She was still trying to work on control with Remus, and he was getting better, but seemed afraid of letting it progress farther.

At the end of January, Rory heard that Severus had tested for his Potions NEWT early, and had classed as the youngest Potions Master in the last 400 years. But Rory got a real shock when she bumped into Severus in the hallway a few days later, causing him to hiss in pain and clutch his left forearm. Since her father was the head of the DMLE, Rory had heard about Voldemort branding his followers with a perverted protean charm and her eyes widened. Looking around quickly, she grabbed Severus' elbow and pulled him into an empty classroom, locking the door behind them. Before he could react, Rory had pushed up his sleeve, revealing the black tattoo of a skull with a snake coming from its mouth.

Rory sighed sadly, upset for her old friend "Oh, Sev..." He jerked his arm away, scowling angrily. Rory looked at him, her eyes very sad as he stalked from the room. She had to tell Lily. She wasn't even aware that she was crying as she left the classroom until she found Lily, who was sitting with the Marauders, laughing. They all looked up and were immediately worried. James, fearing the worst, jumped up, nearly hysterical "What is it? Is it Mum and Dad?" Rory shook her head. "Lily, can I talk to you for a minute?" Lily nodded and stood, and the pair walked a little farther away. "I just bumped into Severus in the hallway. He made a noise like he was in pain and clutched his arm." Lily looked confused. "My Dad told me and James that Voldemort brands his followers on their left arm, with a perverted Protean Charm, so he can call them wherever they are." Lily's eyes widened and she looked scared. "I dragged him into the nearest classroom and pushed his sleeve up." Rory paused to wipe her eyes. "He joined the Death Eaters, Lily." Rory didn't know the Marauders had crept up behind them until they all gasped. Rory spun around "Don't. Don't do anything to him. I know he joined and we should..but we have so much more to focus on right now." Reluctantly, they nodded and James held Lily close, as Sirius did with Rory, while they wept for the boy who had once been their friend and the path he had chosen.

James and Lily made their relationship official when they came back from the first Hogsmeade visit of the new term, and now Lily was seen with the Marauder's as often as Rory was. James confided that he wanted to offer her the Potter Family Betrothal Ring, but was planning to wait until the Easter Holidays.

Mary restricted herself to giving Rory evil looks at every chance. She also told Alice, her only remaining roommate, that it was just a matter of time before Sirius 'stopped being coy and came back to her'. When Rory found out, she had laughed, and Mary called her a man stealing whore. Rory had stood, her spine straight, and said "This is the second time you have attempted to breach the fealty oath. I'll be writing to your father, again, and in the meantime, you will be unable to use your magic for the next 7 days."

To Mary's horror, she felt her magic become bound. No matter how small the spell she tried to use, her wand would not react. While Mary was hysterically trying to make her wand work, Rory went to McGonagall. The Transfiguration Professor listened and ask sincerely "Did you feel that the best way to handle this was to bind her magic for a week?"

Rory nodded earnestly "You saw what happened as soon as she came back to the Common Room the next day." McGonagall nodded. "She's still making the same remarks, and the looks she gives me let me know that were it not for the fealty oath, she'd have tried to attack me again. I was content to just ignore it, but she's not willing to let it lie. Maybe a week of seeing what I _could_ have had done to her will let the lesson sink in." McGonagall nodded. "Very well. Please inform her that she is still required to come to class, but will take a fail grade on any practical work. You are dismissed."

Rory entered the common room to find Mary sobbing hysterically, and the rest of the tower (having long since heard what happened), not very concerned. Rory gave her McGonagall's message and wrote a letter to the Viscount, also demanding any marriage contracts that had been sent for Mary to be sent to her. She was starting to think that perhaps a little psychological warfare was called for. Then she finished up a few essays and went to bed. It hadn't even occurred to her that it was Valentine's Day.

Except someone was already in it.

Rory turned on the lights with a flick of her wand, raising an eyebrow when she saw Sirius sitting in her bed. The blankets were covering him, but he was shirtless. He had a dozen red roses in his arms and was smiling shyly at her. "Sirius..what are you.." "These last two months, since you were attacked, I keep having these nightmares about what could have happened. I'm not asking for sex, I know you don't want to take that step until we're married and I respect that. I'm asking you to let me sleep next to you, so if I happen to wake up, I can see you next to me and know you're all right." Rory smiled gently at him "All right. I'll go change." She went into the bathroom and was about to change into her typical sleep pants and tank top, when her inner Marauder decided to make an appearance and she conjured a black, silk nightgown that clung to her and had lace traveling up the sides and put that on instead.

Taking a deep breath, she went back into the bedroom, rather enjoying the way Sirius' eyes practically bugged out of his head when he saw her. Biting her lip shyly, she slid into bed next to him and snuggled herself against his side. He trailed his fingers through her hair as he held her close. She dimmed the lights with her wand so there was only a very soft glow in the room and leaned up, kissing him lightly. Sirius ran his fingers up her side and the stress of the last few months broke. She needed him to be touching her. She wanted him. The wolf inside her was panting and howling for him. She pulled him down, kissing him hungrily as she pushed him onto his back, moving so she straddled him. Luckily he was wearing sleep pants, because she, of course, was wearing nothing under her nightgown.

Sirius looked up at her with his eyes wide, completely unsure of what to do. He knew she wanted to wait until they were married, and he did too, but here she was, straddling him and pressed against him so tightly he could feel the heat of her through his pants. He pulled back slightly, moaning as she rolled her hips slightly against him, "Silver...you're controlling this. You decide how far we go." Rory nodded and leaned down, capturing his lips with hers while her hands eagerly explored his exposed muscles. She grabbed his hands and placed them firmly on her breasts, pulling back enough to whisper "It's all right to touch me, Padfoot."

He moaned lightly, running his hands over every part of her he could reach, hips, buttocks, ribs, chest, everything. Seized with a sudden desire to be a little reckless, she pulled her nightgown off and tossed it to one side, leaving her fully nude on him. She sat up slightly, causing Sirius to bite his lip and moan as he looked at her. Slowly, as though he were afraid she would break, he lightly brushed his fingers over her hips and up her sides, stopping just under her breasts, fascinated with the way the skin tightened and flushed under his fingers as she whimpered. Sirius looked up at her, an awestruck look on her face and rolled them so he was over her, Rory on her back beneath him. Feeling a little wicked, Rory locked her legs around his waist and pulled him closer, making him let out a lustful growl and bite her neck softly before whispering in her ear, his breath making her shiver "Silver, are you sure you know what you're doing." In response she pulled back, looking him in the eyes as she grabbed his hand and guided it slowly between her legs before grabbing her wand and banishing his sleep pants to the other side of the room, needing to feel his skin against hers, and wrapping her hand around him firmly. As her hand closed around him, her eyes widened at how...impressive he felt. She looked up him, her eyes bright with lust as she told him, "I need you. I need you to touch me, to love me. We're here, we're together, and I need you, Sirius. Please."

Sirius bit his lip, moaning as he felt her hand close around him and start to move as she spoke. Keeping his eyes on hers, he started moving his fingers, feeling every part of her and watching her moan and blush lightly as he teased her most sensitive areas. He kissed her deeply, hungrily as both of their movements became faster, more passionate. Using a self control that they were unaware they possessed, they avoided penetration. Breathing became faster and they both were flushed, a thin film of sweat on their skin. They clung to one another as they climaxed together, nuzzling and kissing one another lightly before moving themselves into a comfortable position and falling asleep, Sirius with his arms tightly around her, and Rory's head nestled in the crook of his neck and shoulder.

There were no nightmares for either of them.

Rory woke slowly the next day, glad it was a Saturday and stretched, freezing when she felt a body next to her. Her heart beating rapidly she looked up, seeing Sirius still asleep next to her. She had half expected him to be gone when she woke up. She watched him sleep for a few minutes, thinking about how much she loved him. Reaching a decision, one that she felt in her gut was right, she pressed against him, nuzzling him awake. He murmured something sleepily and she smiled before kissing him lightly on the jaw. She coaxed him gently into waking and he looked at her, brushing the back of his knuckles over her cheek "Morning, Love."

Rory smiled, snuggling against Sirius' side. "Morning, Padfoot. Sleep well?" Stretching against her, he nodded before he wrapped his arms around her again and held her close. They lay in bed quietly for a few moments, just enjoying the feel of one another. After a while, Sirius looked down at her, worry making his eyes stormy, and asked, "You're not regretting last night, are you?" Rory pressed against him, shaking her head. "Absolutely not. In fact, I may never let you sleep in the dorm again, that was the best night's sleep I've had in a long time." Sirius chuckled, kissing the top of her head lightly. "Good."

Rory smiled brightly up at him before reluctantly climbing out of bed and taking a quick shower. Wrapping herself in a towel, she went back to the bedroom and saw Sirius near the door, listening. She noticed he'd put his sleep pants back on, and was trying to hold back laughter. Pressing a finger to his lips, he beckoned her over, and pointed through the crack in the door. Looking, she saw James and Lily near the other room, each looking as mussed and Sirius and Rory had when they woke up. Transfiguring her towel to a long, cotton nightshirt, she winked at Sirius and he nodded. Opening the door wider, Rory said teasingly "Well well well, what do we have here?" Causing the couple across the room to jump apart. Upon seeing the looks on their faces, Rory collapsed into giggles, and Sirius barked out a laugh before going to take a shower. James looked incredulous at his sister "Did you two?" Rory cut him off "Prongs, my sex life is private. Sirius and I are both of age, and betrothed, and so unless you want me to start asking about you and Lily, I suggest we pretend this never happened, and if it happens in the future, we can keep pretending it didn't." Lily giggled and James just rolled his eyes, and then Rory went back in her room and dressed.

A tapping at the window brought her attention to the Owl who held a rather large number of marriage contracts for Mary, like she'd asked for. Smirking evilly, she flipped through them, noting a number of classmates that Mary had been very rude about. Sirius came out of the bathroom, already dressed and together they, along with Lily and James, met the other Marauder's and went to breakfast. Mary walked in, looking as though she were ill, and saw Rory reading what she recognized as a marriage contract. As she walked by, she noticed her name on it and her eyes widened in horror. Making sure Mary was still watching, Rory nodded her head and put the contracts away. She wrote out a letter and attached it to her Owl, watching as Mary whitened dramatically. It was only a letter to her parents, but Mary didn't need to know that. She wanted to know their thoughts about her and Sirius marrying over the summer.

Sirius started spending the night in Rory's room. As the workload got more stressful, they simply fell into bed and fell asleep most nights. Lily and James got betrothed, and James was spending every night in Lily's room, though Lily insisted on waiting until they were out of school to marry. Remus finally managed to regain his control, and to test it, they had James and Sirius in the room untransformed and Remus had no reaction. They didn't know if it was because the wolf recognized them, or if it was because he had better control, but there was no safe way to test and find out. Rory continued to heavily tutor Peter, determined to help him as much as she could.

Whenever she felt Mary was getting too complacent, Rory would pull out the marriage contracts, occasionally asking Mary what she thought of someone named in one.

Around Easter, Rory got an Owl from her parents, and Sirius got one from his father, telling them that marrying over the Summer was a very good idea and they they would sit down and make the arrangements after school got out. Rory hadn't told Sirius that was wanted to marry over the summer, and Sirius hadn't told her that he'd also asked his father about it. Neither of them knew the two Lords has gotten together when they got their Owls to discuss appropriate arrangements for the couple.

That night when they climbed into bed, Rory snuggled close to Sirius and looked at him. "I have something to tell you." "Really? Me too. You go first." Rory took a deep breath. What if he didn't want to marry this summer? What if he didn't want to marry at all? She pushed these thoughts out of her mind and said, "I wrote my parents earlier to see how they felt about something, and since they have no objections to it..." She paused, gathering her nerve before forcing herself to look at Sirius. "I think we should get married this summer." Sirius stared at her for a full minute, sure he had heard her wrong. Finally, his face broke out into a smile and he kissed her " Absolutely. I completely agree with you. I wrote to Father about it too." They looked at each other and laughed, before snuggling close and falling asleep.

Exams came and went. When they informed their friends of their plans to marry over the summer, Mary overheard them and burst into tears, to the concern of no one. Lily and James tied for the top student in the year, with Rory coming second, and Sirius a very close third.

Before they knew it, they were back on the Express, heading home toward a summer that was going to be full of changes.

_A/N: I just watched the new trailer for DH part 2. I'm sure you can all tell that I have a soft spot for Sirius, and so I am a blubbering mess of emotion right now._


	22. Chapter 21

**The Calm Before The Storm**

_AN: I know, I told many of you this would have been posted on June 26th. I'm sorry. Right as I started this chapter, I had a fight with one of my best friends. Then I looked at this, and all I wanted to do was write angst and stuff. Had I tried to write this then, I would have someone dying, lol! Then, I went through my Post Potter Depression lol. And then I became obsessed with all things Doctor Who. _

_But now, all is well, and I can focus on writing the Wedding (which IS in this chapter) and make it appropriately non angsty. I really am sorry for not at least putting up an author's note or something, but sometimes things just get away from you. And now, since I know none of you have read this, on with the chapter! Also, if you remember in the last chapter, Psycho Mary yelled at Rory "He's mine! She promised!" You'll see what that's about here. Also, there is smut in this chapter, towards the end, so if that bothers you, then you can skip it._

It was a whirlwind of activity as soon as the Marauder's, Rory and Lily got home. They were all of age now, and had to deal with adult responsibilities. Apparition tests were passed by all (Peter had to take his twice), Rory took up the Knight inheritance, officially becoming Duchess Knight (Also knows as Lady Knight, Duchess of the Realm), but stated to the Wizengamot at their first Summer Meeting that she was keeping Charlus as her proxy until she finished school. Charlus and Orion brought James and Sirius to the meeting as well,merely to observe. The three would observe as many meetings and trials as they could until they assumed their seats.

Rory and Miriam had a wedding to plan, but Sirius still had to inform his mother of the upcoming nuptials, since he would be taking over many responsibilities of Lord Black after them. Needless to say, the reaction was not one that would have the cherubs and cupids weeping tears of joy.

Sirius had chatted easily with his Father for the entire journey home from the Ministry, tossing out ideas for both the wedding, and what he wanted to do in regards to the Family afterward. While he would not officially be Lord Black until after his NEWT's arrived, Orion has decided he would be taking on more responsibilities as far as Family Business was concerned. Near the top of Sirius' list was contacting the disowned Black Sister, Andromeda, now Tonks, and bringing her back into the Family, thus ensuring she would have a dowry and a maintenance payment every few months from the Main Black Family vault. Also ironing out the details of the fealty oath that Lucius Malfoy was to take needed to be done, though the Oath itself would be given after Narcissa took her NEWT's and the contract details were finalized. As they approached Black Manor, Orion slowed his pace deliberately, needing a few more moments with his son. Upon seeing Sirius' curious look, he heaved a deep sigh and spoke.

"Sirius, I have yet to tell your mother that you're to wed this summer." Sirius merely raised an eyebrow, but did not appear overly surprised. Knowing his mother as he did, he felt he would not be wrong in assuming his mother would have caused some serious problems. "She knows about your betrothal, and is...not happy about it. She also exchanged a number of owls with the Viscount MacDonald and that rather unstable daughter of his, though that ceased when they became Aurora's vassals. I was...concerned that had she learned of the upcoming wedding, she would have done something drastic to prevent it." On hearing this, a dim light of understanding dawned in Sirius' eyes, but he didn't say anything, wanting more information. "This means that, once we step inside we need to sign the appropriate forms, and then we can let her know. She won't be able to do anything that prevents it then. Even should something happen to me, she will be unable to stop either the wedding, or your ascension to Lord Black" Sirius nodded, sighing to himself. He knew his mother would be furious, and there would probably be curses flying around. The upside of it was that, being of age, he could stop her. The father and son duo reached the door to Black Manor and went in, proceeding directly to Orion's study and signing the forms before sending them out.

At Potter Manor, Miriam and Rory had a variety of catalogs spread out around them. They had decided on a bit of a nature theme for the ceremony and reception, and so swatches of color in greens, blues, purples, pinks and in various thickness and sheers were scattered all over Rory's Suite. Currently, though, Miriam and Rory were pouring over a catalog sent over from Madam Malkin's, containing nothing but wedding attire. They were currently perusing the pages devoted to wedding gowns and robes. After a few minutes of discussing the dresses, Rory stood and stretched. "Mum, is it all right if I invite Lily over until the wedding? I want her to be my Maid of Honor, and I'm sure she'd like to get away from her sister for a while, maybe her parents could come as guests of the wedding, an for a few weeks as well?" On the train ride home, Lily had confided that Petunia had become engaged (Lily had to explain to James and Sirius that this was the Muggle term for Betrothed) to her long time friend turned boyfriend, Vernon. As a result, Vernon was spending quite a bit of time around the Evan's home, and so they had told him about Lily being a witch. Lily didn't say anything, but the look on her face told everyone that Vernon felt the same as Petunia did, and that Summer would not be fun for Lily.

Miriam nodded, "You know Lily's parents well, then?" Rory shrugged, "About as well as any school friend I believe. But the Evans' have always been very welcoming and nice to me, so I'd like to invite them here for at least a fortnight, as well as to the wedding. They're Muggles, obviously, and I don't think they've ever been in a completely magical home." Rory got a pensive look on her face, "Of course, we'll have to do something to ensure they won't be attacked in any way by the more bigoted members of the Black Family..." Miriam nodded again, "I'll ask your Father about what can be done to ensure their safety, and in the meantime, you may invite the Evans' over and Lily may stay until the Wedding." Rory decided that rather than writing a letter, she'd just go over, and after saying she'd do that the next day, the two women went back to wedding planning. The wedding was to take place in mid August, so there wasn't much time.

At Black Manor, Orion had dispatched Kreacher to bring Walburga into the study, and was looking through property descriptions Lord Potter had sent over. Unbeknownst to the couple, they had decided to give them two Manor houses, one as their main residence and one as a Summer home. Lord Black would provide the main Manor, as Father of the Groom, and Lord Potter would provide the Summer Home. It was descriptions of these that Orion was pouring over, as they had already reached a joint decision on which of the Black Properties to gift.

After a few moments, Walburga entered the study and sat down, an irate and curious look on her face. She did not even look at Sirius."You sent for me, Husband?" Orion nodded, his face serious "I did. There is Family news that must be shared with you, as the current Lady Black." At the use of the word 'current', Walburga raised an eyebrow but remained silent. Orion was starting to loathe this formality he had lived with all his life, particularly after his sons were born and was trying to become slightly less formal with them, but still he maintained the formality with Walburga. "The Heir Apparent to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black is to wed this summer. After he completes his NEWT's, he will fully assume the title of Lord Black, and his wife will become Lady Black, and you will become the Dowager Black, and assume a less active and more advisory role towards the next Lady Black." Walburga's spine straightened and her eyes narrowed slightly as she asked, her tone carefully controlled, "And who shall the Heir Black be wed to, Husband?" Orion looked at his wife for a few moments before answering. By previous agreement, Sirius was ready to dodge if she cast anything at him, but he was still worried. "Heir Black will be wed to the Lady Knight, Duchess of the Realm, in Mid- August. Lady Knight will then be known as the Lady Black-Knight."

Walburga froze. Surely she did not hear him right. She had thought she ensured that the shame of her flesh would be wed to the MacDonald bint, someone she could easily manipulate and control. Her husband must be playing some practical joke on her. "I believe I must have misheard you, Husband. Are you saying that the Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black is to wed a... a...filthy _animal? _A mongrel?" Orion's eyes narrowed, "Tread carefully, Wife. Sirius will wed the Lady Knight, as is his choice." With an enraged shriek, Walburga was up and cast a green curse at Sirius, who dodged it and looked at his mother, horror written on his face. He'd known she did not approve of him, or his friends, or the woman he loved, but he never thought she'd try and kill him. She continued yelling as she cast curse after curse, all of which he dodged. Both he and his father wanted to see what she would say to this news, and so wouldn't freeze her yet. As the curses flew, Walburga looked quite mad, her eyes rolling and popping insanely.

"You insolent boy! You were to wed the MacDonald girl, she would have kept you in line! I spent months sending Owls back and forth with the tramp, promising her she would have you if she would shape into who Lord Black should be and still you defy me! You insist on wedding a flea bitten, _mongrel!_ I will not have it! You filthy blood traitor! Shame of my flesh and family! You will break off this fool Betrothal, you will wed who I chose! You will-" She was cut off, her mouth open and her body frozen as though she had been petrified. Orion was standing behind her, his wand out, a look of thunderous rage on his face. His voice shook with his anger as he walked around to the front of his wife, his wand still out, and looked her in the eyes.

"How dare you? How dare you go behind my back to manipulate my Heir, _your son,_ into being someone he is not? How dare you go behind my back to try and arrange an unacceptable match with an unstable female? How _dare_ you think you have any say in these matters, and speak to my Heir as you did today, and have for the last few years? How dare you fling that vile and Unforgivable curse around my study as though it were nothing more harmful than a tickling charm?" He reached forward snatching the wand from Walburga's petrified grasp before releasing the hex and ordering her tersely, as Sirius cautiously moved out from behind the sofa, "Sit, woman." He summoned Kreacher and demanded he bring Regulus to the study. When Kreacher returned with the Second Born Black son, Orion dismissed him and told Regulus to sit, after briefly explaining what had happened, taking in his second son's horrified gaze and wondering if it was for what his wife had done, or for what was about to happen to her. Either way, both his son's needed to be here to see this.

Walburga sat in a chair, watching Orion apprehensively. He always addressed her by her name, or the title Wife more recently. If they were in a public or Social setting, he called her Lady Black. She knew he was neutral in most things, but knew he possessed a raging temper when provoked, and so was worried. Normally she thought she could handle him, but he had taken her wand. She was defenseless, and she was scared. She paid rapt attention as he spoke, his voice still filled with cold anger. "It seems, woman, that I have given you too much leave. I have not sought to curb the habit you have of attempting to usurp my authority in my own home. I did not seek to stop you when you gave Regulus lessons as to the Duties of the Heir, recognizing that sometimes the unexpected happens and he may have needed them. I did not stop you when _you_ tried, time and time again, to go against tradition and name my second son as my Heir, since you disapproved of the First Born, at times without even my knowledge. I have not sought to silence your tongue as much as I should have, hoping that I had gained a wife who knew her place, but who could be counted upon to offer intelligent discourse when needed. Instead I find that I have lived nearly twenty years with an entirely self-serving shrew, one who is not interested in the happiness of the sons she bore, only in bending them to her whim and will. I say to you, woman, _that it stops today!_"

Orion beckoned Sirius forward and bade him sit in a chair next to his brother. He faced his wife and there was no trace of affection in his eyes. He was looking at her as though she were a bug, something that he had tolerated but could no longer abide. As he spoke, Walburga paled dramatically, as did Regulus, and to a lesser degree, Sirius. Neither of them had ever seen their Father as angry as he was now, and none of them expected him to do what he was doing now. "Listen to these words, woman, for they will be the last you hear from another living beings lips. You are wife in name only. I strip you of all right to use the title of Lady Black. Never again will you be called Lady Black, and never will you own the title of Dowager Black. I strip you of all authority in my home,and of access to any of the Black Fortune. You no longer have the authority to call or order any House Elf Bonded to the House of Black. You are a guest, and a barely tolerated one at that. You shall be moved to a self-contained guest Suite and there you shall remain for the rest of your days. You may not step foot outside your Suite's door, and none may step foot inside of it while you live. You will not attend the Heir's wedding, or any other social function again. There will be no portraits of you in any Black home. You shall not leave a legacy that is attached to that of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. You shall not have your wand, or any other wand, ever again. You may not use magic in any way. You are disgraced, woman, and I will never have you in my sight after this. You have brought shame on yourself and your name."

As Walburga heard what her life was to become, she sobbed. She had never allowed any, even her husband, to see her shed tears, but she was horrified now to think of what her life was to be. Orion summed Kreacher and he appeared with a pop. "Master calls Kreacher?" he said, bowing. "Kreacher, I want you to prepare the guest Suite at the back of the house. Move all of my wife's clothing, and needlework, to the Suite. Leave all Black Family Jewels, as well as all Books, photographs, letters, or other things she has acquired over the years. You are _only_ to move her clothing and knitting or needlework. Do so immediately and then return to me." Kreacher bowed respectfully "Kreacher do." and popped out.

Ignoring Walburga's presence in the room as she sobbed and actually pleaded for leniency, Orion sat next to his sons and discussed wedding details, though he said, wearing a rare smile, "It's best, Sirius, to let Aurora do most of the planning. A woman's wedding day is one she dreams of from the time she is a young girl, and she'll have things she wants just so. Best just to agree with most of what she wants." The two talked about things relating to the Family, with the occasional interjection of opinion from Regulus, and discussed who would be invited to the wedding from the Black Family, and who could be excluded. A while later, Kreacher popped back into the room, "Kreacher has done what Master Black has ordered."

Orion nodded and stood, "Kreacher, my wife has been stripped of her authority as Lady Black. She is no longer your Mistress. She is to be confined to the Suite you just prepared until she is no longer alive. Until she is dead, Kreacher. You are to provide her with three meals per day, and tea if she requires it. You are to wash her clothes and linens when they are needed. You are not to obey any orders from her. Ever again. You are not to speak to her. She is not to have a wand." As he spoke, Kreacher's eyes became very wide, as though he could not imagine his Mistress being in such trouble, but he listened as a good House Elf should as his Master spoke. "She is not to have books, but she may read the _Daily Prophet_ every day. She is not to send letters of _any_ kind nor is she to receive any letters or correspondence of any kind aside of the newspaper. All Owls sent to her are to be give to myself, or young Master Sirius. No other person is to be allowed in the Suite. The door is to remain locked and warded at all times. If you unsure about something regarding her, you are to come to me immediately and ask. You are to inform either myself or the next Lord Black immediately when she dies. Do you understand, Kreacher?"

Kreacher bowed again, "Kreacher understands, Master, and Kreacher will obey Master's order to the letter." Orion nodded before reaching over and removing any jewelry and the Outer robes, which had the Black Crest on them, from Walburga. He beckoned her to stand and bade his sons to follow. Silently, except for the former Lady Black's sobs, they made their way to the guest Suite tucked away at the very back of the Manor. It was separate from the rest of the Family Suites and tucked so far back that sound from it did not even reach the main part of the Manor. Orion opened the door and looked around, carefully scrutinizing all the items in the room to make sure nothing had been sneaked in.

The room was neat, but impersonal, decorated in all neutral browns and whites. There were no portraits or photographs or even simple landscape paintings adorning the walls. After he was satisfied, Orion grasped her elbow and led her into the room, silently sitting her in a chair and walking out of the Suite. Sirius and Regulus looked at her sadly and followed their father. He closed the door firmly, locked it and warded it and instructed Kreacher to ward it as well. He then turned to Regulus, sadness in his eyes, "Your mother did you no favors, Regulus, when she treated you as her favored son and fed your head hopes that she had no right to. I love you, because you are my son, and I know I have not said these words nearly enough in either your or Sirius' lives. Listen to my advice here: Finish your schooling, my son, and find your niche in the world. Being Lord Black is not for you. Find what makes you happy, not what your mother said should make you happy." With that, he dismissed his sons and sent them to their own devices. For the first time in years, they walked together, taking. The topic was what had just happened to Walburga, but there were also apologies to be made and fences to mend.

The next day, Rory apparated to Surrey and walked up to the Evans' home. She rang the bell and waited and after a few moments, Mrs. Evans opened the door, smiling brightly as she saw Rory. "Rory! My, this is unexpected, do come in, child. Lily tells us you're getting married in August, congratulations, dear." Rory smiled as Mrs. Evans chattered away and walked into the living room, where Lily and Petunia were glaring at each other, and Mr. Evans was wearing an exasperated expression. After greeting everyone, Rory got to the point "You all know I'm getting married in August. Lily, I wanted to ask you if you'd be my Maid of Honor?" She laughed when Lily squealed and said of course she would. "I also wanted to invite you and your parents to Potter Manor, You until the wedding, and your parents for at least a fortnight, longer if they wanted." She trailed off at a haughty sniff from Petunia, "That's rather rude, you know, inviting my family, but excluding me!" Rory raised an eyebrow at the elder Evans sister, "Petunia, you'd made clear your feelings of the magical world. You are of course welcome, I simply assumed that, due to your dislike of the society Lily and I inhabit, you wouldn't feel comfortable coming. By the way, I hear you've become engaged to Vernon, congratulations on that." Petunia merely crossed her arms and huffed, turning away. Lily rolled her eyes and Rory shrugged. She made arrangements to return that weekend and pick up the Evans' and left, apparating back to the Potter Manor right from the living room.

The next month and a half flew by. Lily and her parents arrived without trouble, and without Petunia, and were helpful, gracious guests who were eager to see life in a wizarding home. Mr. Evans and Lord Potter spent time talking about the difference between Quidditch and football, while Mrs. Evans and Lily helped plan the wedding. Sirius and Lord Black popped in a couple of times a week and gave their input and ideas, and the time was filled with fittings, decorating, menu planning and sending out invitations. It was decided to leave out any who they knew had taken the Dark Mark, which meant the Lestrange's were excluded. The Malfoy's were invited, only due to the fact that Lucius and Narcissa were betrothed, but were told that any bigotry would not be tolerated.

The MacDonald's, as a vassal family to the House of Knight, had to be invited out of custom and tradition. Mary was informed that she was to be on her very best behavior, and the causing _of any _scene would see her magic bound until Christmas. Her wand would be held by her father until after the reception.

Sirius told Rory what had happened with his mother, and she was horrified and furious at the woman. Sirius had asked James to stand as his best man, and since Rory did not have any other close female friends, they chose to have Regulus, Peter and Remus as ushers rather than groomsmen. The Wedding itself was to take place on the grounds of Potter Manor, in a clearing of Willow Trees. Tradition stated that it should be held during the Full Moon, but obviously that was impossible, so it would be held three days before it. The wards were adjusted to detect the Imperious Curse and Polyjuice Potion, and set to allow entry to none who did not possess an invitation and were clear of any mind altering influence.

Finally it was the day of the wedding. Rory and Lily were up at 6 am, and Miriam and Mrs. Evans came in, helping Rory into her wedding Dress, and Lily into her bridesmaid dress. Rory's wedding dress was white, sleeveless and had a tight fitting embroidered bodice, with a full length a ballroom gown style skirt. Her white satin heels had an ankle strap on them, while underneath she had managed to sneak some white Muggle bridal lingerie she had found while out shopping with Lily. Her hair was brushed, curled, gathered up in combs and styled elegantly, her makeup with understated, and the only jewelry she wore was a simple, thin necklace with an onyx pendant, matching earrings, simple pewter bracelets that had been worked into a vine and flower design, and the Black Family Betrothal Ring. Her bouquet was white and red roses, lily's and sweet pea, with babies breath mixed in.

Lily, luckily, did not have to bear the Curse of Horribly Ugly Bridesmaid Dress. Her dress was a light purple color, satin, worked through with Silver embroidery. It was sleeveless, and the hem hit just above her knees. She was wearing heels of a matching color and nude colored stockings. Her jewelry was pewter and all worked into the same vine and flower design as Rory's bracelets, and her hair was brushed and curled nicely.

James was wearing simple tuxedo cut robes with accents of a slightly more manly purple than Lily's Dress, Sirius was dressed similar, only his accents were white. All had runes for protection and love woven into the fabric.

Out on the Willow Grove, Charlus and Orion were overseeing the magical tent that would keep out any rain that might fall, setting up the orchestra, and generally getting last minute details in order. Peter, Regulus and Remus were all chatting comfortably, having agreed to set aside any discomfort for the say. Soon, guests started arriving and people started being seated. Mr and Mrs Evans had been given two house elves that would stand guard over them, invisible, and were dressed in wizarding clothes to help blend in, embroidered heavily with protection runes, just in case. After the Evans were seated, Miriam came in and nodded at Charlus, who instructed the boys to finish seating the guests.

Just outside the grove, hidden from the Guests, were Lily and Rory. Rory was fidgeting, her nerves showing, and Lily reached out and grasped her hand, squeezing it in support . "Don't worry. You look great and everything will be fine." Little did they know that James was saying something similar to Sirius.

A few minutes later, James arrived to escort Lily down the Aisle, smiling happily, and Charlus appeared to walk Rory.

Taking a deep breathe, Rory hooked her arm through her father's and the walked down the aisle towards the Wizard who would oversee the wedding, and Sirius. Rory looked up and saw Sirius standing there and smiled widely, feeling happy tears well up in her eyes. It was happening. Something she had never dared dream about when she was younger, something she had never even dared hope would happen, was actually happening. She was marrying him. It wasn't a dream, she really was.

Sirius looked up and saw Rory walking down the Aisle on her father's arm. He felt James reach over and grasp his shoulder lightly. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She seemed to practically radiate magic. After all the times he'd screwed up, after all the times he's made her cry or made her angry, she was still willing to marry him. After all of the incredibly stupid stunts he had pulled, they had still gotten to this point. He must have been the luckiest guy in the world.

As Charlus and Rory reached the end of the Aisle, the little wizard stepped down, Charlus kissed his daughter on the cheek, and then went to sit with a (Happily sobbing) Miriam. Sirius and Rory beamed at one another and then the wizard spoke.

"Good people, friends and family, we are here today to join two souls as one. We are gathered here to witness a magic beyond all others, the magic of love. Love is what drives us. Love for our family, love for our friends, love for our country. And, of course, the love these these two before us share. A love that has survived and thrived despite obstacles in its path. A love that shone bright no matter how many tried to extinguish it. Truly, a love meant to last for lifetimes. We come here today to celebrate that love, and join these two people together by magic for always." At the wizard's beckoning, Sirius and Rory faced each other, grasping each others hands so their wrist pulse points were touching. The wizard took out his wand, and held it over their hands before speaking again, "Sirius Orion Black, do you so take this woman, Aurora Hecate Potter-Knight, as your wife by law and magic, in sickness and in health, no matter what may come, so long as you both shall live?"

Sirius looked deep into Rory's eyes, the emotion of his voice obvious to all present as he answered "Forsaking all others, my heart belongs to you, for always and always."

The Wizard beamed as what appeared to be a white hot flame shot from his wand and wrapped around their hands, hearing the guests gasp audibly, and continued, "Aurora Hecate Potter-Knight, do you so take this man, Sirius Orion Black, as you husband by law and magic, in sickness and in health, no matter what may come, so long as you both shall live?"

Rory hadn't taken her eyes off Sirius the entire time, and now she answered, "In this world and the next, no matter what happens, I will stand with you. My heart belongs to you, for always and forever."

The wizard could not hold back an exuberant laugh as a second flame shot out and wrapped around their hands. The flames glowed briefly and then sank into the joined hands of Sirius and Rory. The guests had hushed, watching the flames in awe. You see, the flames that shoot out of this wizards wands are colored depending on the purity of the love the couple has for one another. White flames had never been seen by any present, being that Wizarding Noble Society viewed marriage as a tool for politics and alliances. A couple being bonded for love was nigh on unheard of. Love usually came later. The Wizard continued once the glow faded, "Magic has accepted this Union, and so too shall we! May I present to you, for the first time, Sirius and Aurora Black! You may kiss and seal your bond!"

Resisting the urge to make a spectacle of themselves, Sirius and Rory kissed briefly before facing their guests, who were standing and applauding. Miriam and Mrs. Evans were wiping their eyes with handkerchiefs, while Charlus and Orion were beaming. The Wizard waved his wand and the area was transformed, small tables appearing and chairs surrounding them. Wizards and Witches walked around, tending to the needs of the guests. Rory and Sirius found themselves surrounded by well wishers which they took in stride.

The celebration lasted well into the evening hours. There was much dancing and merry making, not a little bit of mead consumption, and for a little while, the war outside did not exist. For a little while, all was peaceful in the lives of all present, as they celebrated the future and what was to come. For such a brief period of time, there were no jealous and unstable classmates, there were no Dark Lords, there were no disapproving mothers. There was just this, just happiness and celebration and life.

When the clock truck ten, guests started leaving, making their way back to their homes. Lily and her parents would leave by portkey the next day. James escorted them to a guest suite. Some hours before, the newlywed's made their goodbyes and the couple followed Orion and Charlus into Lord Potter's formal parlor. After everyone was seated, the father's of the couple leaned forward. Charlus spoke first. "Lord Black and I have been in contact since early June, and we decided we have one last gift to give you for you wedding. It's a joint gift between the two of us."

Orion picked up where Charlus left off. "We each selected a property from our portfolio, one for a permanent residence, and one for a summer residence. Your permanent residence came from the Black portfolio. "Here he handed over a folder with a picture and property details. "It's situated in Wales, in an area known as Clwydian Range. It's been in the Black Family for centuries, and has long been warded to the extent all Black Properties are. It's unplottable, has Muggle Repelling Charms integrated into the warding, and all sorts of other enchantments, those are all listed in the folder I gave you. It was used as Black Manor in the 1600's, until about the 1800's, when the Lord Black of that time chose to move to London, to be closer to Gringott's. Whenever you are ready, we'll go over and key you into the wards."

Charlus smiled at the young couple's gobsmacked expressions. "Don't look so surprised. Many families with extensive portfolios gift to members of their family when they wed. We're forever selling and gifting and buying property. Even you, Rory, know that the Knight Estate has many, many manor homes and other properties that you will find yourself gifting, or selling, or otherwise managing once you fully take over as Lady Knight. Now, the Summer residence comes from the Potter portfolio. It is actually an island, off the coast of Crete, that is under the Fidelius Charm. You'll be spending your Honeymoon there, starting tonight. Both of these properties come with the House elves that live in them, two each, a married couple I believe." He looked at Orion for confirmation, who nodded. "Now," he handed them a piece of paper, "This parchment contains the location and is also a portkey there. The Elves have already brought all the clothing and supplies you'll need for the Honeymoon. When you return on the 30th, we will go to Gringotts and get all of the paperwork finalized, including recasting the Fidelius with one of you as the Secret Keeper."

After many kisses on the cheeks and more congratulations, the newlywed Blacks grasped the portkey provided and left, landing gracefully in the entryway of a rather grand Villa.

After landing, Sirius and Rory looked around the Villa with wide eyes, taking in the splendor around them. The House Elves appeared before them and showed the newlywed couple to the Master Suite, where they stood, staring at one another for an indeterminable amount of time. Finally, Sirius stepped forward, cupping Rory's face in his hands and exhaling shakily. He leaned forward, pressing his lips against her forehead and whispering, the joy in his voice obvious, "We're married."

Rory smiled widely, laughing happily and wrapping her arms around Sirius tightly. "Yes. Finally." She looked up at his and pressed her lips against his, pulling him tighter against her. Within moments, hormones and the joy in finally being wed had take over, and they had shed their clothing. Sirius pulled back, his eyes wide as he took in the white lace corset and thigh-high stockings Rory had been wearing under her dress. "Merlin, Silver...If I'd known you were wearing this under that dress, I wouldn't have been able to keep my hands off of you." He looked in her eyes, love and awe and lust shining in them and making them stormy "You're beautiful. You're the most beautiful person I have ever laid eyes on, and I am so, so very lucky that you are mine."

Rory blushed, her cheeks pinking nicely, and smiled at Sirius. She stepped closer to him, pressing her body back against his, oblivious to the House Elves discreetly taking away their wedding clothes to be laundered and stored. She looked up at him, her eyes shining with emotions she couldn't even begin to express, "I love you, Sirius. I spent so long thinking that this, you and I, couldn't be possible because of what I am, and now here we are. Not only am I yours, always, but you're mine..and I don't think I could even begin to tell you how happy I am."

Sirius lowered his lips to hers, his kiss searing and gentle all at once, before he looked at her, his eyes as serious as his name as he spoke. "This is our wedding night, and I want everything perfect, but we need to talk about something first." Rory smiled, having anticipated this conversation, "I took a contraceptive potion earlier, Padfoot. I don't want children until we are out of school." Sirius smiled and picked Rory up, carrying her over to the bed. He laid her gently on the mattress, alternately kissing her and whispering vows of love against her lips. He trailed kisses along her jawline and kissed the pulse in her neck. Rory leaned her head back, moaning softly, her nails scraping lightly across his shoulders.

Sirius trailed his hands down her sides, gripping her hips tightly. Rory, in turn, wrapped her stocking clad legs around Sirius's waist, arching her hips and pressing herself against him, causing him to moan against her neck and bite her lightly. Rather than fumble with laces and garters and such, Sirius grabbed his wand and waved it, their clothes disappearing and reappearing across the room. He pulled back and looked in Rory's eyes, and she met his gaze unflinchingly, smiling. Sirius rested his forehead against hers, trying to calm his rapid breathing and heartbeat, and failing when Rory arched her hips again, her wet center sliding over him lightly.

Sirius growled softly, resisting the urge to simply impale himself on her, knowing she was as much a virgin as he was. Instead, he kissed his way softly down her body, lips tracing a path down her ribs and over her hip bones, stopping just above the small, neat nest of curls. Rory bit her lip and Sirius spread her thighs apart, leaning down and flicking her clit with his tongue, causing her to moan deeply. Encouraged, Sirius licked and tasted her, making her writhe and squirm on the bed over him, panting and moaning as he worked to bring her over the edge.

Rory bit her lip, moaning as Sirius brought her closer and closer to climax. She panted, a thin sheen of sweat covering her as she trembled from his ministrations. Arching her back, she cried out as she came, her hands fisted in the blankets. Sirius kissed his way softly back up her body, pressing himself against her entrance before hesitating, not wanting to hurt her. Still trembling from the force of her orgasm, Rory smiled up at him, cupping his cheek and whispering, "Just go slow... The pain is unavoidable, but it won't last long." Sirius nodded and kissed her deeply, sliding himself into her as slowly as he can before he reached her barrier. He pulled back, looking at her and seeing her bite her lip before nodding up at him. Sirius held her tightly, arms wrapped securely around her as he pushed. Rory whimpered slightly, burying her face against his shoulder as Sirius whispered apologies and comfort in her ear. After a few moments, the pain was gone, a distant memory already, and Rory arched her hips again, encouraging. With a low groan, Sirius pulled back slightly and thrust into her again, and soon they were a tangle of limbs and sweat and moaning.

Much later, they lay sated in their bed, Rory resting her head against Sirius' chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, as he trailed his fingers lightly through her hair.

A war may be raging outside, and they may have gone through their own personal Hells to get to this point, but right now they were together, and they were happy. They were complete, for at least that moment, and would ride out the oncoming storm that was no doubt approaching together.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 22

_Familial Heartaches_

_ AN: I am amazed that people are still adding this story to their favorites. I hit a massive brick wall of Writer's Block, hence my lack of updates in...over a year. Ooops. But, have no fear, for with this chapter, The Curse Of Writer's Block has (hopefully) been broken, and you can hope for updates during most weekends. As ever, I look forward to all reviews, and hope you continue to enjoy The Lost Marauder. And the smut. Enjoy the smut. After all, Rory and Sirius are still on their honeymoon!_

The sun rose the next day, light streaming in through the large bay window and bathing the sleeping couple in warmth. Rory stretched, feeling Sirius' body next to her, and smiled, remember the previous night. Her wedding night. She was slightly sore, but nothing that would stop her from enjoying her honeymoon to the fullest. She sighed happily before rising to deal with her morning rituals.

Taking a look around the bathroom, she couldn't stop an appreciative whistle from leaving her lips. Along one wall were steps that lead to a large, sunken bathtub with an assortment of bath oils and soaps on shelves over it. Casting an eye at the bath, she saw that it wasn't just big enough for two, it was large enough to fit 5 or 6 people in it, and she giggled. There was a floor to ceiling window that looked out over the coast. Along another wall was a shower, with the shower faucets pointing down from all corners of the shower stall. Next to that was a water closet, and along the wall to her right was a long counter with sinks, mirrors and cabinets. Looking at the counter top, she could see that the elves had already placed her's and Sirius' toiletries neatly. The entire room was decorated in black and white marble, with gold accents on the faucets and knobs.

One of the elves had left two large and fluffy towels near the shower stall, so Rory headed that way, fiddling with knobs and testing the temperature before stepping under the spray. Sighing happily, she washed her hair quickly and was just about to set about washing the rest of her when the door to the shower opened. Jumping slightly, she looked over her shoulder to see Sirius joining her. Smiling, he kissed her lightly on the lips and said "Good Morning, love."

"Good Morning, Padfoot." Grinning wickedly, she asked him, "Sleep well?", and smiled wider at his answering laughter. Taking the lathered up sponge from Rory, Sirius turned her around and washed her back gently, asking her "What about you? Did you sleep well? I didn't hurt you too badly, did I?" This last was said with more than a bit of trepidation, so Rory turned around and pressed herself against his chest, kissing him deeply. "You didn't hurt me at all. A little pain is to be expected, but Padfoot, I wouldn't have changed a single thing about last night. Please don't worry and let's just enjoy the next few days, okay love?" Smiling in relief, Sirius nodded, kissing Rory on the forehead lightly.

After finishing their shower, they dressed and made their way down to the dining room for breakfast, taking in the décor around them with an appreciative eye. Sitting down, they saw that the elves had made them a delicious breakfast of pancakes with strawberries on the side, with juice and tea. After eating, Rory called out "House Elves of the Manor, could you come here, please?"

With two soft pops, the two small elves appeared, both wearing towels that had been tied into little outfits, a toga for the ale and a dress for the female, they bowed deeply, speaking in their squeaky voices, "Mistress has called for us?" They appeared nervous, not yet knowing what kind of masters they were now bound to serving. They were not elderly elves, and were most likely the children of the elves who had worked the Manor previously.

Rory smiled gently at the pair, "What are your names?"

The male stood before speaking, keeping his eyes on the floor. "My name is being Tweed, Mistress Aurora. " The female curtsied slightly for standing and saying "My name is being Twilly, Mistress." Rory nodded, "Tweed and Twilly, you already know who we are. I just wanted to tell you both that breakfast was wonderful, and the Island looks fantastic. You may return to your duties and we will meet later to discuss how things are run here. You may both return to what you were doing." Tweed and Twilly bowed before popping back to their duties.

Sirius sat back "So, Mrs. Black, what would you like to do today?" Rory smiled "Well, Mr. Black, we have a rather spectacular island here that we can explore. There's a rather remarkable beach, with crystal clear water we can swim in, or..." Rory smiled wickedly, "We can go back to bed." Sirius raised an eyebrow, smirking before jumping up and grabbing Rory, picking her up easily as she squealed and giggled, and ran quickly back to the Master Suite, tossing her onto the bed.

Rory laughed as she bounced on the mattress. "Well, I guess I know which idea you prefer" Growling playfully, Sirius tackled her onto the bed, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. After a few minutes of snogging, Sirius pulled back, breathless and asked, "That contraceptive potion you took, how long will it last?" "It lasts for 6 months. I'll have to take another one in February." Sirius nodded, kissing her again as he removes both of their clothing. Wrapping her legs around his waist, Rory twists so that Sirius was on his back under her, before impaling herself on him. Moaning against her lips, Sirius grips her hips tightly, moving her along his length and quickly bringing them both to climax.

Panting slightly and covered in a thin sheen of sweat, Rory collapsed on Sirius' chest, feeling his arms wrap around her tightly. He nuzzled her hair, breathing in her scent and giving voice to something he feared, whispering "Is it always going to be like this? With us this much in love and needing each other? Is this going to fade once we leave school and the real world with adult responsibilities intrudes on us? Will you end up regretting this? "

Raising her head slightly, Rory looked into Sirius eyes and softly replied "Padfoot, we moved fast after reconciling, I know. We had to. But I love you. I'll always love you. I don't know what's coming for us, or for the world, but I know that as long as we are both alive, I will always love you as I do now. I will always need you the way I do now, and I will _never_ regret marrying you. Do you understand that? Never."

Anything else she had to say was lost as Sirius pulled her into another kiss.

The rest of the Honeymoon passed, and before they knew it, August 30th was upon them and it was time to return to England. Charlus and Orion had told them they would meet at Potter Manor before heading to Gringotts to finalize the paperwork needed, and then they would be moving onto the new Black Manor in Wales. Taking a last look around to make sure they remembered everything, Sirius and Rory grasped the portkey and felt the tug behind their naval as they were transported from Greece to Wales, landing with only a slight stumble.

Getting their bearings, they looked around as they were both engulfed in hugs from family members and friends. Rory, noticing that Orion looked strained, and her joy at being home ebbed away to be replaced with fear as she asked, "What's wrong? Has something happened?" Orion sighed sadly. "Sirius, Aurora...I have disappointing news. I didn't want to to this today, but, as you've asked..." He trailed off, collecting his thoughts before continuing. "Regulus...I have reason to believe Regulus has joined the Death Eaters."

Rory gasped, turning to look at Sirius and grabbing his hand, squeezing lightly. Sirius looked at his father, his eyes wide. "How..." He stopped, clearing his throat and trying again "Why do you think that?" Charlus lead them all into the family sitting room. Before gesturing to Orion to continue. Looking as though he'd aged ten years in the last few weeks, Orion sat down and continued, "Just after your wedding, Regulus had invited a young man named Severus Snape over. Your cousin Bellatrix and her husband had also made an appearance, and as they were..socializing, I walked by the parlour and heard Bella asking your brother when he was going to take 'The Mark'. They told him that The Dark Lord was pleased with his performance on the raid they went on, and was anxious for him to be marked as soon as possible. Regulus has not returned home since, knowing, I assume, that you have no inclination to ally this family with Voldemort. I don't know for sure that he's joined them, but I am suspicious."

Rory sighed softly. She didn't know Regulus Black very well, but knew that Sirius loved his brother very much, and this news had to be heartbreaking for him. Sirius had a blank expression on his face as he asked "Was his trust refilled?" Orion nodded that it was and replied "He's also purchased his school supplies, so I assume he will be at Hogwarts come September the First." Sirius nodded, "Then I'll confront him there. Father, is it still your inclination to relinquish many of the Black Family duties to me, now that Rory and I are wed?" Orion nodded, looking thoughtful. "Then you should know that I find out Regulus _has_ taken the Mark, I will be disowning him. I won't have _any_ Black Family money funding this madman." Orion nodded again, "I assumed that would be your stance on the situation. Now that we are all on the same page, let's be off to Gringotts.

Making it to Gringotts with little trouble, all papers were singed and houses transferred, spells and wards were reapplied and school supplies were purchased, and then Sirius and Rory apparated to Clwydian Range. Looking up at the Manor House that was to be their home, They pressed their palms to the gate, waiting for the wards to recognize them. After walking in and introducing themselves to the House Elves, Slightly and Izzy, Rory followed Sirius around. He'd been quiet for most of the day and it was worrying her. The silence was so unlike him that it was unnerving. As he stepped into the dining room and walked over to the bar that was nearby and poured himself a glass of fire whiskey, Rory stepped in.

Placing a hand on his arm, she peered up into his face, forcing down a shiver of frustration when he wouldn't look at her or acknowledge that she had touched him. "Sirius? Padfoot, are you all right?" The bitter and angry laugh that escaped his lips wasn't something she was prepared for. "All right? Am I all right? I find out today that my brother, someone who I was once as close with as I currently am with Prongs, joined the Death Eaters and is probably going to get himself killed or put into Azkaban, and you ask if I'm all right? Are you stupid, of course I'm not fucking all right!" His voice grew steadily louder as he went on, and towards the end he was shouting at her. Rory had taken her hand off his arm and was staring at him with wide eyes. He hadn't ever directed his ire at her in this was. Knowing he was upset about the news he had gotten earlier, she chose not to take it personally and instead took a deep breathe and spoke calmly and clearly. "I was only asking because you've been so silent all day. I know the news about Regulus comes on as a bit of a shock, and I want you to know that I"m here for you if you need to talk about it." She jumped as he threw the glass of fire whiskey against the wall before snarling at her "Just leave me alone."

Blinking back the hurt, she sighed and simply turned and left the room, climbing up the the Master Suite of the Manor. Taking a bath and packing hers and Sirius's trunks for the following school year, she climbed into bed alone for the first time since the previous Valentine's Day, only to toss and turn as she listened to Sirius vent his rage in the rooms below.

Eventually, quite drunk, Sirius climbed up the stairs and fell into the bed Rory was laying in. He'd felt awful when he'd heard his brother was a Death Eater, and felt responsible. He'd left Regulus alone with his Mother each Summer since he'd started Hogwarts, and this was the result. He knew he owed Rory an apology for the way he'd yelled at her, but instead stayed in the Dining Room and drank a bottle of fire whiskey. Eventually, the two of them fell into a fitful sleep.

September the First dawned warm and bright. Rory climbed out of bed, feeling weary. Summoning Izzy, she requested a hangover and sobering potion for Sirius. Getting these, she shook him awake "Siri...Sirius, we need to get up and get ready to go." He mumbled softly and opened a bleary eye and glared at her. Sighing, and hoping this wouldn't be another day where he was sullen and silent, she handed him the potions, speaking quietly "Here. Drink these. You'll feel better." without waiting to see if he did, she got up and went into the shower, washing herself quickly. Turning off the shower, she wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out. Walking back into the bedroom, she saw that Sirius was up and dressed. Rolling her eyes, she walked over to the wardrobe and dressed quickly, talking over her shoulder "I packed our trunks last night, so we don't have to hunt down anything today." Sirius grunted in response and Rory found that her patience was at its end.

"Why won't you talk to me? I'm sorry Regulus joined the Death Eaters, but that's not my fault. So why won't you speak to me?" Sirius looked over his shoulder at her and simply sneered, deigning not to answer as he stalked out of the room. Refraining from hexing him with great difficulty, Rory levitated the trunks on front of her, leaving them by the front door, before walking into the Dining Room and helping herself to some fruit for breakfast, deciding that she would ignore her husband until he got over whatever thoughts had him in a snit.

At 10:30, Rory gave some last minute instructions to the Slightly and Izzy, shrank her trunk and placed it in her pocket, and apparated to King's Cross Station without a word to Sirius, who in turn frowned and sighed to himself. This was supposed to be a happy time for them, and instead he was here making her miserable because of something he couldn't control. Shrinking his trunk down, he apparated to the Express, appearing a few feet away from Rory, who was engrossed in a conversation with James and Lily about them becoming Head Boy and -Girl. Remus and Peter approached and joined the groups, Remus picking up on the tension between Sirius and Rory immediately, but choosing not to comment. They boarded the Express and settled themselves into a compartment, with Sirius standing after a moment to search for Regulus.

As the door closed behind him, Rory let out the breath she'd been holding and everyone else in the compartment turned towards her with raised eyebrows, expressions clearly requesting and explanation. She sighed, telling them, "Sirius is taking Regulus being a Death Eater a bit harder that he let on yesterday." and refusing to elaborate further.

After leaving the compartment, Sirius heaved a sigh of frustration, deciding to repair the damage he'd done to his relationship after he dealt with Regulus. Stalking down the Train, he looked in every compartment, finally stopping when he saw Regulus sharing one with Narcissa Black (soon to be Malfoy) and Severus Snape. Opening the compartment door, he speared Regulus with a glare said in a carefully controlled voice, "Regulus Black. I require your presence. In the Hallway, if you could." Regulus, knowing he could not refuse, as Sirius was Heir Apparent, and close to becoming Lord of the House, sighed and followed. In the Hallway, Sirius stood with his back straight, waving his wand at the compartment window and smoking it, obscuring the view to those within, before speaking, using his 'Lord' voice, so Regulus would have no choice but to speak to him. "Regulus Black, I am going to ask you one very simple question, and you will answer me honestly and immediately. Are you a Death Eater?"

Regulus sighed to himself as his brother began talking. He knew this wouldn't end well. He knew that Sirius and he had differing views on what was best for the Wizarding World. Why couldn't Sirius see that people like that Evans girl, and the animal he married, had no place in their world? Hearing the question and the way it was phrased made Regulus stand, his head held high as he answered, "Yes. I am"

Sirius scowled, nodded and stalked away back to his own compartment, leaving Regulus frowning after him. Once he arrived, he pulled out some parchment, wrote a quick letter and sent it off with his Owl. At Rory's questioning look, he said, "Gringotts." Upon seeing that this was not an adequate answer, he elaborated, as much for her as for everyone else. "I saw Reg. I confronted him. He is a Death Eater." Though she was still hurt, upset, and annoyed at the way he'd treated her since the previous night, Rory reached over and grasped his hand, squeezing it lightly and offering him a slight smile in support. "It will be okay, Paddy. I know it doesn't seem like it now, but it will." Sirius nodded, his hand remaining limp in hers and simply said "Yeah."

The rest of the journey passed without incident. Rory didn't attempt to comfort Sirius again, nor did she really speak to him. She knew he'd come to her when he was ready. Mary MacDonald made an appearance and stared at Sirius with longing, but a cleared throat and glare from Rory sent her on her way. Lily and James left briefly for the meeting with the Prefects, Remus following them. After they came back, the group changed into their robes, speculated about classes, and eventually made it to Hogwarts.

Later on that night, after the Sorting, after the Start of Term announcements, and after the Feast, Lily and James went to the Gryffindor Head Suite, and McGonagall lead Rory and Sirius to a Married Couples Suite adjacent to it. They set a password and entered.

Rory looked at Sirius for a few moment, and Sirius pointedly looked around the Suite. Sighing, she eventually said "I have some work to do for the Knight Estate, so don't wait up for me." before settling at a nearby desk and pulling out parchments to go over. There were investments to cancel, properties to renovate or eliminate, and a foundation she was looking to start. The Knight Estate had a total of 800,000,000 galleons of liquid assets, and an idea had been forming in her head. She distantly heard Sirius enter the bedroom, and after another two hours of sorting through parchments and sending owls to Gringotts and the Ministry, she set her work aside, rubbing her eyes tiredly. She really didn't want to sleep in the same bed as Sirius tonight, after the way he'd treated her over the last couple of days, so instead she transfigured her clothes into sleep pants and a tank top, and conjured a blanket and pillow, choosing to sleep on the comfortable sofa instead. She ached for her husband's arms around her, for them to be as they were before coming home from Greece, b ut she didn't know how to interact with him now. She tried to be supportive and comforting, and he brushed her off, or sneered at her, choosing the comfort of a bottle instead. He closed himself off from her, and all she could do was watch him and hurt for him, since he didn't seem to want anything else from her. Closing her eyes aganst the tears that were filling them, she willed herself into a lonely sleep.

In the bedroom, Sirius sat up in bed, reading without really seeing. He had set in motion the disowning of Regulus, and his heart was heavy. His whole life, he'd been the pampered son of a Duke, and outside of the stress of dealing with his Mother, he was ill equipped for the circumstances this was with Voldemort was bringing. He had vague thoughts of becoming and Auror or a Hit Wizard, fighting on the front lines in battles between the Light and the Dark, and other fanciful, teenaged boy dreams of glory. But never once had he imagined that members of his Family might be on the side opposite him. Never had he thought that his brother, his little brother who he was supposed to set an example for and protect, might join the forces of a madman. A man who wanted to murder people like his wife, another of his best mate's and people like his best friend's betrothed. He never imagined that the fighting he was doing, political and financial fighting, would be the kind of fighting that he would be forced to partake in.

Sirius sighed, scrubbing his hands over his face. He knew that by disowning Regulus and cutting him off from the Black Family Fortune, he was likely signing his death warrant, but he couldn't allow any more funding to Voldemort if he could stop it. He wanted to change the reputation of the Black Family from one who sympathized and approved of the Dark Arts, to one who fought to better the world. Checking the clock, he saw that it was nearing Midnight, and that Rory hadn't come to bed yet. Frowning and deciding he had sulked and taken his bad mood out on his wife for far too long, he climbed out of bed and walked into the sitting room, where he saw Rory laying on the couch, curled small under a blanket, tear tracks drying on her cheeks. Sighing to himself, he knelt next to her and brushed her hair back from her forehead, smiling softly as her head tilted up into his hand. He watched as her eyes fluttered open, only to sigh again as her eyes settled on him before carefully sealing off what she was feeling.

He tried to smile at her again, but it was a shaky attempt as he whispered "Hi." She didn't bother trying to smile back as she looked up at him, not moving, "Hi. You're still awake." "Yeah. I was waiting for you, even though you told me I didn't have to." Rory frowned, sitting up and crossing her legs 'Indian Style'. "I wasn't sure you wanted me." Sirius frowned, feeling like a heel. "I know. I haven't exactly been at my best since we got back and I found out about Reg." Rory merely raised an eyebrow at that statement. Sirius went on to explain, or try to explain, why he had behaved the way he had, "It's just, I knew that if Regulus had joined Voldemort, that I would strike him from the Family. I'd have no choice. I can't allow more funding to that creature if I can help it. But, at the same time, I knew that taking this action would likely get him killed. It didn't stop me, so I've had to deal with the fact that I've essentially killed my brother, and it's made me behave boorishly. You've done nothing but try and support me and love me, and I've been a complete arsehole to you. I'm sorry. I know I've said those words far too much to you in the time we've known each other, but I am."

Throughout Sirius' speech, Rory had tried to keep her expression blank, but as he spoke, she found herself frowning, and then scowling, and then becoming angry. "You listen to me, Sirius Black, you are not responsible for Regulus' actions. You did not drive him to become a Death Eater. No," She cut him off as he attempted to speak, "I'm talking now. You didn't force him to join that group. He knew, he _had_ to have known, that once you found out, you would take this course of action. He still chose to join them. This is not your fault, and you are not responsible. The only one responsible for Regulus' actions is Regulus." By the end of her tirade, she had started crying again, though she didn't realize it. "You're right about one thing, though. You've been an arsehole these last couple of days, and now I have a question for you: Why did you marry me?"

Sirius blinked rapidly, unsure he had heard her question right. "What?"

"You heard me, Black. Why did you marry me?" Inwardly, she was afraid of the answer. So much of their relationship had been spent fighting, and they hadn't really had the time to become comfortable with each other s an adult couple. Having never really had much of a sense of self-worth, Rory was now fearing what she would hear.

"I married you because I love you. Because I need you to breathe and to live. Without you, my life seems dull and grey, and you bring color into my world. Because I admire you. Your passion for life and your beliefs. Your strength in the face of whatever obstacles you have. Your love for your family and friends. How you fight for your convictions. Because you're the best person I know, and you make me want to be better, if only to be worthy of you." Sirius stopped, staring at her, realization in his eyes, "These last couple of days, have you been doubting why I married you? Have you been thinking I regret this?"

Rory sighed, wiping away her tears absently, "What else could I think, Sirius? You wouldn't talk to me, whenever I tried to be there for you, you utterly shut me out! You wouldn't let me in at all, and acted like you didn't even want me around. What else was I supposed to think?" She sighed again before looking him in the eyes. "We're married. We're young, but we've made this lifelong commitment to one another, to be there, to love, to support and be supported, to talk, to communicate. No more shutting me out. We've had enough bullshit in our relationship for us to fall apart now. Together we can handle anything, but closed off and apart, we're not complete. Promise me, Padfoot, that you won't shut me out anymore. Please." She kept eye contact, her expression pleading with him.

Sirius immediately nodded, "I promise. And I'm so sorry that I made you feel this way. Never again, I swear to you." He stood, holding his hand out to her, "I know it's late and we're both exhausted, so will you come to bed, please? I need to hold my wife while I sleep." Taking his hand, Rory stood, smiling slightly before stifling a yawn and following Sirius into their room, both falling asleep as soon as their heads touched the pillow.

The next few weeks passed easily. With the tension between Sirius and Rory forgotten, the entire group was happy and cheerful. Rory and Remus continued to tutor Peter, who managed low Exceeds Expectations on his Defense and Transfiguration Owls the previous Summer. Classes were going well, the first Full Moon of the year came and went, with Remus maintaining his control easily, having seemed to have gotten over the incident with Snape.

They passed Snape, Regulus and Narcissa in the Hallways regularly, and had classes with two of them throughout the day, but there were no incidents. At least, there were none until the day Regulus got the owl telling him he was cast from the Black Family. He looked up towards the Gryffindor table, his face pale and angry...and scared. He crumpled up the parchments in his hands and stalked over to Sirius, who raised an eyebrow. Regulus stared at his older brother, opening his mouth and trying to speak, before snapping it closed, unable to form the words and racing out of the Great Hall. He vanished from Hogwarts the same day.

Three days later, his body was found.


	24. Chapter 24

_Chapter 23_

_War_

_ AN: What? What is this? Another update? The world must be ending! Or Craze got a run of inspiration that she's not eager to let go of, and so is choosing to treat the people that have stuck with this story. There won't be much of actual day-to-day 7th year stuff in here, just to let you know. But there is some action. :)_

The days following the discovery of Regulus' body were difficult on Sirius. No matter what he was told, he felt responsible. He had even taken a few days and went to Grimmauld Place to speak to Orion, who assured him that he bore no responsibility for Regulus' actions.

The War was getting larger and more dangerous. People were afraid to leave their homes, and many of the younger students had been removed from Hogwarts by parents who wanted their families together in this time of uncertainty. James, Sirius and Rory were all sitting and pooling their resources, providing safe houses at low cost for those who had been displaced, donating to the Auror budget, and generally training on their own. They knew, as they usually knew things they weren't supposed to, about Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix, and had approached him about joining the group after graduating, with James and Sirius moving to get some sort of Ministry backing through the DMLE, enabling the group to work more openly against the Dark.

James and Lily chose to have their wedding right out of school, and so were making all the wedding plans needed, via Owl with Miriam and Mrs. Evans. Rory was, of course, her Maid of Honor, with Sirius standing as Best Man. Alice Spencer and Frank Longbottom were betrothed, and rumored to be marrying in July.

Needless to say, the entire group was a whirlwind of activity, even without taking into account that the all managed to keep their grades up.

The next event of note happened in October, just before Halloween. As 7th Years, they were free each weekend to visit Hogsmeade, and so on one Saturday when the weather was still fine, The Maraders, Rory, Lily, Frank Longbottom and Alice Spencer, all took advantage of this fact and wandered the village. Most of the group went to the Three Broomsticks for something to eat and a few butterbeers, while James and Lily chose to wander around, and perhaps visit Honeydukes or perhaps a stationary or bookstore. They were exiting the bookstore when they saw Severus Snape exiting a second hand shoppe nearby. Upon seeing them, his face flooded with an angry red color and his eyes narrowed. Lily raised an eyebrow and grasped James' hand, intending for them to simply walk away, when Snape pulled his wand and sent a curse at the pair, while yelling, loud enough to attract the attention of the other Marauder's and Rory, "Potter, you _bastard!_" The curse hit James in his side, opening a wound and causing him to yell out as he hit the ground, Lily crouching next to him, torn between fighting back and casting healing spells. At that moment, Sirius and Rory turned the corner and sent Stunning Spells at Snape, causing him to slump to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. As Rory ran over to her brother, Sirius cast a binding spell, tying Snape securely. Remus and Peter had run to the school to get Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall, and perhaps Dumbledore if they could find him.

Casting cleaning and healing spells quickly, Rory was asking Lily what happened. "We came of out the bookstore, and Snape saw us, he started yelling at James and cast this spell at him. It was white, he cast silently so I don't know what spell it was." At that moment, Madam Pomfrey arrived and they relayed to her what they knew. She healed James quickly, but insisted he come to the Hospital wing, and so he and Lily followed the Mediwitch back to Hogwarts.

Sirius was informing McGonagall and Dumbledore what had happened, and both were frowning and looking grave. They levitated Snape back to the Castle, with Rory following. Dumbledore, once they reached the Headmaster's Office, turned and looked at her, stating, "Mrs. Black, I'm afraid you cannot be present while Professor McGonagall and I determine what occurred."

Eyes flashing, Rory straightened her spine, looking Dumbledore in the eye, "Headmaster, this person has attacked my bother, Heir Apparent to the House of Potter, Dukes of the Realm. As he is incapacitated, You will either allow me entry to this questioning, or postpone it until my father, Lord Potter, arrives to witness it."

The only sign of annoyance from the Headmaster was a tightening around his eyes and a slight pursing of his lips. "Very well. Professor, kindly use the Floo to alert Lord Potter. We shall postpone questioning Mister Snape until he arrives. Rory nodded in satisfaction before turning and racing to the Hospital Wing, eager to see her brother well. And she did. Not only well, but twitchy and eager to leave the Hospital Wing as soon as possible. Lily and the Marauders were sat by his bed and all looked towards Rory as she entered the Wing. Looking at James, she said, "McGonagall went to Floo Dad. They're not going to question Snape until he gets here."

Sitting next to Lily, she took her soon to be Sister-in Law's hand in her own, both of them frowning and trying to figure out if this had always been the boy who was their friend, and if they had just been too blind to see it.

Back in the Headmaster's office, Charlus Potter was glowering at Snape. The Hogwarts Charter allows the use to Veritaserum in the Headmaster's Office when a student is suspected in wrongdoing, but only to those who were 16 and older. Dumbledore placed the required three drops on Snape's tongue before reviving him. Noticing the glazes eyes and blank face that indicated the potion was working, Dumbledore began his questioning.

"What is your name?"

"Severus Tobias Snape."

"What year are you in Hogwarts?"

"Seventh Year."

"Did you attack James Potter in Hogsmeade today?"

"Yes."

"What did you cast at him and why?"

"I cast the _Sectumsempra _Curse at him. It is a curse I invented. I cast it at him because I saw him there with Lily Evans."

"Did you intend to harm him when you cast this curse."

"No. I intended to kill him."

Dumbledore sighed, taking off his glasses and gesturing to McGonagall to provide Snape with the antidote. Looking up at Charlus, he saw that the man would demand action and so he sighed. "It is always a sad occasion when students attack one another to this degree. I always feel as though I have failed them somehow. Severus Snape, your Hogsmeade privileges are hereby revoked, and you are to have detention every night for the remainder of the year with Mister Filch. When you are not in class or in detention, you will be confined to a room separate from the Slytherin Dormitories, where you will sleep, spend any time you have to do schoolwork, and take your meals. You will surrender your wand to Professor McGonagall at the end of your classes. You will remain at Hogwarts during every school Holiday until the end of the year. Should you choose to not submit to these punishments, you will be expelled and your wand snapped and magic bound, to live in the Muggle society. Do you understand?"

Shaking with a barely contained rage, Snape simply nodded, plotting how he would get his revenge on Potter for turning Lily against him once they left school for good. Waving his wand to release Snape, Dumbledore dismissed him. As McGonagall followed to find an appropriate room for Snape, Dumbledore turned to Charlus with his eyebrows raised, "Does this satisfy you, Lord Potter?"

Charlus nodded "It does. I warn you though, if Snape attacks another person in this school, I shall bring the full weight of my department down upon him. I shall also instruct James to steer clear of him, since they have no love lost, and I fear the urge to avenge himself might prove too strong for my son to resist." Nodding the Headmaster, Charlus left the office and w\made way to the Hospital Wing where he relayed the happenings to the group present.

James, Sirius, Rory and Lily all looked at each other, but it was James who spoke, after seeing Rory and Lily nod, "Dad...Last year we discovered that Snape joined the Death Eaters." Charlus looked startled at this revelation, and they relayed the story about Rory bumping into him and seeing the Dark Mark. Charlus' expression grew thunderous. "Unfortunately, bearing the Mark only results in monitoring by the Ministry. However, it is speculated, but not proven, that I order to obtain the Mark, you must participate in unspeakable acts. If I were able to get a Death Eater captured during a raid, we could find out more." Charlus fixed all the students present with a very stern face and warned them, "Be on your guard. All of you." before sweeping from the Hospital Wing.

Lily sighed, "I can't believe Severus would do this. We've been friends since we were eight years old.." She looked up, a lost expression on her face and James pulled her into a hug, ignoring the clucking from Madam Pomfrey, which was really mostly for show.

Rory, as well,w as lost I her thoughts. Long had she written off Severus Snape as a friend, once she discovered he had joined an organization that would gladly see her murdered, she considered the boy who had been her friend dead, and someone else walking around in his skin. This person she did not know, and did not have any affection for.

But it still hurt.

Of course it did.

Leaning forward, she creased her brow and looked at everyone, uncharacteristically serious. "I think we need to do something more than what we have been. We've provided safe houses from our multiple properties, under the Fidelis, for those who have been attacked and displaced. We've donated to the Auror Corps. But what have we done for the people that Voldemort is recruiting? We know he's gotten most of the werewolves, lead by Greyback on his side, as well as vampires. But he's given them false promises, things he won't follow up on. Equal rights, chances at employment, and such."

James and Sirius were nodding, listening, and Remus spoke up, "We know he won't follow through on these. He's basically using the werewolves as muscle. So what do you propose we do, Rory?"

She took a breath, "I want to start a foundation, dedicated to my parents, to help werewolves. Provide lodging, money for healthcare, and expansive, warded grounds for them to run in during the Full Moons. They could choose to live on site, grow their own food and whatnot, or just arrive during the Full Moon and leave after. I would like to hire a team of researchers to look into a way of either lessening or eradicating the negative side effects of lycanthropy, maybe even curing it. I don't think it's a good idea to teach every werewolf the meditative techniques I used to gain control, not when so many of them follow Greyback, but if we can show them that we are willing to do _something_, then I think we can get them to at least remain Neutral, if not switch sides totally."

Sirius leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple, "That's a fantastic idea. I'm in." James nodded, "Me too." Rory looked at Remus, "Would you help me run it?" and he nodded. She stood, "Great, over the Christmas Holidays, I'll discuss the particular's with Dad. See what the legalities are." James asked, "What would you want it called?"

Rory stopped, thinking. "_The Knight Foundation for the Betterment of Lycanthrope Welfare_ seems appropriate." The others nodded, and the conversation moved on to better things.

November passed without incident, The Marauders still sneaking out of the castle every Full Moon, letting Lily in on the secret that they were Animagi. Snape was able to do little more that glare hatefully at the group whenever they were all in class together. December came and with it, the Christmas Holidays. Packing their trunks, and making their way to the Express, Rory informed Sirius that she had invited his Father to stay with them that year, since he would otherwise be alone. They had received word that his mother had hung herself with the bedsheets the previous day. Since she had tried to kill him upon hearing of his plan to wed Rory in the Summer before Seventh Year, Sirius had lost any affection he had once had for his mother, and her death was news that was neither welcome nor saddening. It was simply news. Nevertheless, Rory felt it best to invite Lord Black to the new Black Manor in Wales, if only to get him out of the gloom that was overtaking Grimmauld Place. Orion Black had never been robust and healthy, and she suspected his life on this plane of existence was shortly going to come to an end, and she wanted him to have at least one more happy Christmas season, very aware that were it not for him, her and Sirius would not have been able to wed. Sirius approved of this, since his relationship with his father had improved greatly once Walburga was no longer in the picture.

Having been up late the night before, it was no surprise when the group all dozed off as the Express pulled out of Hogsmeade Station for 8 hour ride to London. Suddenly, Rory jerked away, her skin pricking. The first thing she noticed was that the train had stopped. Looking around the compartment, she saw Remus was awake as well, looking around warily. Sniffing the air slightly, she felt her stomach tie up in knots as the smell of smoke reached her. Instructing Remus to wake the others, she crouched towards the compartment door, opening it silently. Her advanced hearing picked up the fearful whimpering of the younger years, and the older years asking why they'd stopped. Some people were poking their heads out of the compartments and she told them to stay inside, to keep the hallway clear. She silently and quickly sneaked along the hallway, her eyes and ear perked and attentive for the slightest sound, she heard James, Lily, and the others exit the compartment and wander the train as well, calming students and investigating.

As she was about to enter the next car of the train, it happened. There was a shout of "Confringo!" and the door to her left exploded. Jumping out of the way, Rory landed heavily on her shoulder, grunting before rolling to her feet as Death Eaters, wearing black robes and silver masks, swarmed the train. Without thinking, she started casting Stunners, and then moved up to casting Diffindo, once she saw the Stunners were ineffective. She could hear her brother, husband and friends casting as well, and was almost sick with fear for them, but kept her focus. Putting the sounds of the others out of her mind for now, she focused her energies on one goal: Get the Death Eaters Off The Train.

After Remus shook everyone awake, and relayed that he and Rory smelled smoke \, and that the train had stopped, Sirius' first instinct was to go looking for Rory. James and Remus managed to convince him to help them patrol the train, then look for Rory afterward, The split up, Lily staying to calm down some first and second years, and to instruct those nearby to remain in their compartments, Remus, Sirius and James were edging along the corridor, keeping an eye out for trouble. They came across some Prefects, and instructed them to keep calm amongst the students.

As did the door near Rory, doors along the train were exploding due to Confringo Curses, and the Marauders found themselves in a fight. Knowing that there were Death Eater students on the train as well, had them fighting viciously, casting Reducto's, Diffindo's and other debilitating curses.

James was transfiguring the floor in front of the Death Eaters into a Marsh, hoping to slow them up, while Sirius was behind him, casting Impediment Jinxes, hoping to stop them from gaining a foothold on the train. Remus cast a messenger spell, alerting the Ministry, hoping Aurors would be arriving soon..

Rory was doing a fairly decent job of getting the Death Eaters away. She though she had killed a couple, but tried not to dwell on it. Then, a Death Eater she had been fighting pointed wand at her, and she registered a female voice shouting "_Crucio!" _before unimaginable pain wracked her being. She tried to hold back the screams, but every nerve ending felt as though it had been lit on fire and she collapsed to the ground, screams of agony erupting from her throat before she could stop them. Distantly, she thought she heard cackling laughter, but she couldn't focus through the pain.

From their spot on the train, Sirius and James heard scream, but it was Sirius who recognized it. "Rory!" He yelled, desperation lacing his tone. He didn't want to leave James to fight alone, but he needed to get to his wife. Remus solved the problem by shoving him and yelling "Go, I've got this!" while taking his place behind James. Racing along the corridor and blasting any Death Eater he saw out of his way, he came across Rory, with a Death Eater standing over her, curled on the floor and screaming. The Death Eater's mask had slipped and Sirius found himself looking into the mad eyes of his cousin, Bellatrix. Snarling, he cast a Reductor at her feet, distracting her. Eyes wide at the sight of the Black Heir, and knowing her days were numbered in the Black Family now that he had seen her, she backed away hastily while Sirius continued to cast at her. Diffindo, Reductor, and finally a stunner, causing her to drop. Paying her no mind, Sirius dropped to his knees next to Rory, who was now moaning in pain, trembling and barely coherent, and cradled her head. Hearing the _pops_ of Apparition, he raised his wand, only to lower it when he saw that they were Aurors. He yelled to them, "Death Eaters on the Train. There's more back that way," he pointed behind him, "And I don't know where else!" before going back to attending to his wife. Unfortunately, he didn't know how to treat Cruciatus exposure and looked up again, seeing Charlus issuing orders and helping tie up Death Eaters that had fallen unconscious. Sirius yelled out "Lord Potter! It's Rory, she's been hit with the Cruciatus!" causing the older man to turn, blanching, and hurry over to them. "Who did it?" "It was Bellatrix Lestrange, my cousin. James is back behind me fighting, but it looks like the Death Eaters are retreating." Charlus nodded, calling for a Field Medic who pulled out a blue potion when she heard the word "Cruciatus". Tipping Rory's head back, they poured the potion into her mouth, sighing in relief when her tremors slowed and then stopped.

Sirius picked her up and cradled her unconscious body to him, hoping she'd be all right, as James, Remus and Lily ran towards them. Sirius looked up, frowning, "Where's Peter?" Lily answered, looking drawn and frightened. "He was helping to guard a compartment full of First years, when he got hit with a spell that knocked him out. Auror medics portkeyed him to St. Mungo's." James asked, fear and adrenaline making his voice rough, "What happened, Padfoot?" "Bellatrix hit her with a Cruciatus, Prongs." He could barely get out the words. He should have been there, fighting with her. Charlus was explaining that she should be fine once she woke up, but she would be taken to St Mungo's anyway. Sirius barely registered them touching the portkey and Healers taking Rory away to examine her. He sank to a chair, head in his hands, and prepared to wait.

Back on the train, The Aurors restored order, and the train was moving again, James, Lily and Remus were walking up and down the train, checking on students and offering comfort and condolences, while Charlus was talking to some Third Year Gryffindor's who were in the compartments near where Rory was fighting, asking them what happened. "The train stopped, and we smelled something. We were about to get up and see what was going on when Rory told us to stay inside unless she said so. We saw the door explode and she started casting spells at them, keeping them off the train as much as she could. She was doing really good, and then she got hit with that curse that made her scream. Then Sirius showed up, and made the Death Eater stop before the Aurors came." Nodding, Charlus got more reports from his Aurors and the actions of the students who were defending the train, and then ordered the Aurors to remain until they reached London, sending a messenger spell to Miriam and Orion Black, briefly telling them Rory was at St Mungo's, injured, and Sirius sitting with her, before going to find James.

Finding him back in his compartment, holding a shaking Lily, Charlus stepped inside, closing the door behind him. James looked up, curious, as Charlus spoke, "I want you to know that I'm proud of you. All of you. You stayed and defended the students who couldn't fight, as well as injuring and capturing a fair few Death Eaters. I think it safe to say that Voldemort won't be attacking the Express again with any of you on board." James smiled, his head held high I pride at his father's words, while the rest recognized the compliment being given. The rest of the journey passed on in near silence, them all worried about he two of their friends who had been injured in the fight.

As soon as the Express pulled into King's Cross, the groups grabbed their trunks, and the trunks belonging to Peter and Rory, shrunk them and made their way directly to St. Mungo's. Both Rory and Peter were on the Fourth Floor, in Spell Damage, so they quickly made their way there, finding a frustrated Sirius pacing back and forth. He looked up as he heard them approach, "Peter's going to be fine. His parents are in with him now. He's just got a concussion, but can go home tonight. But they won't tell me anything about Rory."

Biting back a frustrated sound, Charlus strode to the nearby desk, looking every inch The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforement. "My daughter, Aurora Black, was brought in here suffering after effects of the Cruciatus. Where is she and what is her condition?" The Nurse raised an eyebrow, before going to get a Healer, who came out. Seeing the Head of the DMLE there, he paused before approaching, "Aurora Black is your daughter, Lord Potter?" Impatiently, he replied, "Yes, now tell me what her condition is." "Well, You are obviously aware your daughter is a werewolf, and we normally don't-" Orion, who had accompanied the group, cut him off menacingly, "I don't care what you _normally_ do, Healer. That is my Daughter-in-Law, The Lady Black-Knight, in there, and you _will_ treat her, or _I_ will see your Healer's license revoked!", sending the Healer scampering back into the room.

It was a tense group that greeted him when he emerged 15 minutes later. "She'll be fine. She suffered some exposure to the Cruciatus, for less than five minutes. She'll likely have a headache for a day or so though. She's awake. You can take her home now." He handed the discharge papers to Sirius and stalked away. Sirius, not bothering to wait for the group, immediately headed into the room, taking a seat next to Rory's bedside and taking her hand, pressing a kiss to her forehead. After some small talk, they left, returning to Potter Manor at Charlus' insistence. They stopped in and told the Pettigrew's they were, of course, welcome, and upon them agreeing, used a portkey to leave.

Arriving in the Entrance Hall for Potter Manor, Sirius immediately took Rory up to her childhood Suite, which was still across from James', and laid her on her bed, climbing in with her and wrapping his arms around her. Together, they fell into a fitful sleep. Downstairs, the others conversed quietly about the attack on the train until Charlus returned to the Ministry.


End file.
